Texas Boys, 5 and 7, Fend For Themselves For Days After Mom Collapses And Dies At Home

This is a truly tragic story.

Teachers in Talty, Texas, grew increasingly concerned when they noticed two of their young students — a pair of brothers, ages 5 and 7 — had been missing a lot of consecutive days of school.

The boys hadn't been to class, and staff hadn't heard anything from their mother.

Connie Taylor, 71, was in the process of officially adopting the two boys, as they had been living with her full-time as her foster kids.

Staff members from the Forney Independent School District felt something was wrong after receiving no word as to their whereabouts, so they called the police.

Officers were sent to Connie's home for a welfare check.

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When they arrived, the boys opened the door for the officers and pointed to their mom, who was lying lifeless on the floor. They said she'd passed out and wouldn't wake up.

They said they tried to call someone for help, but they couldn't unlock Connie's cellphone.

Officers were shocked upon learning their mother wasn't passed out; she had, sadly, died — and her little boys had been fending for themselves inside their home ever since.