'Can't believe it:' Mother jailed after 2 of her children died on the same day

WEST MELBOURNE, Fla. -- A Florida mother is in jail after both of her children died on the same day.

"It's so surprising. Two kids. I can't believe it happened though," said Cecil Ennis, neighbor.

Police were called out to a home on Laurel Oaks on Sunday afternoon, April 15. They won't say who made the 911 call. Officers rushed one child to the hospital, but it was too late. They found the other child inside the house.

Neighbors in the close-knit community said they're stunned to hear what happened.

"I've seen them around with their mother and their grandmother. They were just regular young kids. They seemed OK," said Brian Stinus, neighbor.

Their mother, Rachel Thomas, 30, is facing two counts of neglect and tampering with evidence. Police say there were more children living in the home, and DCF officials were notified.

"These types of cases are tough. Very unusual circumstances, and again, we're working to answer the questions that we have, which are a lot," said Captain Richard Cordeau, West Melbourne Police Department.

The medical examiner was performing autopsies on both children to determine a cause of death.