• A disabled teen died in a hot car while her mother and boyfriend ignored her during a drug binge, leading to their murder convictions.
• Surveillance footage showed the couple arguing and having sex just feet away as the girl suffered in 135°F temperatures.
• The case exposed systemic failures, with social services having ignored prior neglect reports before the preventable tragedy.

Rita Pangalangan and her boyfriend, Larry King Jr., were convicted of murder in the death of Rita’s 13-year-old daughter, Cristina. The young girl had cerebral palsy, used a wheelchair, and could not speak. On an extremely hot August day in 2019, she was left inside a parked car for nearly six hours. Temperatures inside the vehicle climbed to a deadly 135 degrees. When authorities found her, her skin was badly blistered, and her diaper was soaked. The coroner confirmed she died from heatstroke, a slow and painful way to go.

Drug-Fueled Indifference While a Disabled Girl Suffered

While Cristina suffered in the scorching car, her mother and King were just steps away inside his home. The couple had been on a meth binge for days. Security camera footage showed them arguing, sitting on the porch swing, and even having sex—all while ignoring the helpless girl outside. At one point, they realized they had locked themselves out of the car. Instead of breaking a window to save Cristina, they drove to Rita’s house to get a spare key. By the time they returned, it was too late.

A Cruel and Preventable Death

Medical reports revealed Cristina’s body temperature had reached 109.9 degrees—the highest reading the coroner’s thermometer could record. A forensic expert testified that vomit in her lungs showed she had choked on her own stomach fluids as her body shut down. Prosecutors argued that leaving her in the car for hours amounted to torture. In 2023, a jury agreed, convicting Rita and King of murder and child abuse. Rita was sentenced to 37 years in prison, while King received 32 years. Both got additional 20-year sentences for the abuse charge.

A Teacher’s Secret Life and a Family’s Conflicting Stories

Before her arrest, Rita worked as a teacher with over 25 years of experience. She resigned just days before Cristina’s death, and her teaching license was later revoked. In court, Rita’s other daughter, Elizabeth, defended her, saying she was a loving mother who cared deeply for Cristina. But witnesses told a different story. A teenage babysitter said Rita once left Cristina with her for two nights without food. A former roommate testified that Rita often tried to force her to watch Cristina at the last minute—even suggesting leaving the girl alone in a car.

A System That Failed to Protect Cristina

After Cristina’s death, her estate filed lawsuits against Rita, King, and the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Records showed that social services had received multiple warnings about Cristina’s neglect but did nothing. The state eventually settled for $195,000. While justice was served in court, nothing could bring back the innocent girl whose life was cut short. Her obituary remembered her as a sweet child who loved cartoons—a heartbreaking reminder of the life she should have had.