A mother and her boyfriend have both been arrested in connection with the death of her 18-month-old daughter. The toddler, Cora, was in a car with her mother, Morgan Ottinger, in Tomball, Texas, prior to her death. The mother and daughter pair were parked in the driveway of the trailer home they lived in. Ottinger, 31, was asleep or passed out in the front seat. While she was unaware, Cora managed to get out of the car and went to stand in the driveway. While she was outside the vehicle, Ottinger’s boyfriend, Cameron Link, 41, pulled into the driveway, reportedly hitting the toddler.
The girl was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Police claim the couple delayed calling 911 after the incident, Fox 26 reported. It is unclear how much time passed between the incident and authorities arriving. Once they did, Link was arrested on open felony warrants, including theft and the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Arrest update: the toddler’s (Cora) mother has been identified as Morgan Ottiger (1-30-94). She’s been arrested and charged with Endangering a Child.
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) March 16, 2025
Mom’s boyfriend, Cameron Link (10-27-83), was allegedly driving the striking vehicle. No impairment was found. He’s been… https://t.co/iSyIlOSmIu pic.twitter.com/PwBObBuwH3
Ottinger will be charged with child endangerment, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Authorities have not set bonds for either Ottinger or Link, MSN.com reported.
Deputies believe Link hit Cora about 12:30 p.m. March 15, 2025, in the 2100 block of Cook Road.
Another representative for the Harris County sheriff’s office spoke about how the lack of supervision led to Cora’s death. “And you ask how this could happen. It should have never happened, and I can’t explain how it did happen. We have people who are just not taking care of their child like they should,” Major Anthony McConnell said, per MSC.com.
Authorities tested Link to determine if he was impaired when he reportedly struck Cora. They found no impairment, according to the Star-Telegram. Authorities and media have not reported on Ottinger’s possible impairment, but people who’ve seen her mugshot, as well as Link’s, have some theories.
“She was definitely on something,” someone wrote on X in response to Gonzalez’s X post.
Other people expressed their regrets. “Poor child never had a chance in life,” another person tweeted. “Some people don’t deserve the honor of being a parent.” Another person wrote about the harm children face when a boyfriend is involved.
