The Shocking Death of Christina Pangalangan and a Mother’s Betrayal

A Mother's Betrayal: How a Disabled Girl’s Death Uncovered a Dark Secret

The shrill sound of a 911 call echoed through the small police station in Canton County, South Carolina. On the other end of the line was a man in distress, his words barely decipherable through the chaos in his voice.

“911, what’s the address of your emergency?”

911 dispatchers are trained to handle the most dire of situations with calm precision, but even they were ill-prepared for the gruesome discovery awaiting them on August 5, 2019. By the time emergency personnel arrived at Larry King’s home, 13-year-old Christina Pangalangan, a young girl with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, had already succumbed to the blistering heat inside a locked car.

The ensuing investigation uncovered a twisted tale of neglect, betrayal, and horrifying revelations, leading to the conviction of Christina’s mother, Rita Pangalangan, and her boyfriend, Larry Eugene King, for the murder of the disabled child.

The Day Christina Died

Christina’s death was not just a tragic accident. As law enforcement officers soon realized, the events leading up to her demise had layers of complications, lies, and unanswered questions. Born with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, Christina relied on her mother, Rita, for all her needs. She couldn’t speak and had limited mobility, mostly getting around by crawling or using a wheelchair. Yet despite her challenges, Christina communicated effectively with gestures and expressions, making her a beloved part of her small family.

But on that fateful day, everything went wrong. Rita and her boyfriend, Larry, had reconciled after a rocky relationship, spending time together that day. By the time Christina was left inside the Volkswagen Jetta, parked in the front yard of Larry's home, the car had become a death trap.

The searing heat trapped Christina inside, and when Larry and Rita realized she was locked in the vehicle, their actions—or lack thereof—sealed her fate.

As police arrived on the scene, it was already too late. Christina was found unresponsive, showing all the signs of heatstroke. Her body was covered in burns, ruptured blisters, and vomit, the result of hours spent in unbearable temperatures.

A Timeline of Tragedy: Inside the Investigation

Christina’s death initially appeared to be an accident—a terrible but understandable mishap of a child accidentally left in a car. But the more law enforcement probed, the more horrifying the truth became.

A security camera mounted on Larry’s porch captured everything: the arguments, the delays, and, most chillingly, the shocking moments when both Rita and Larry walked past Christina, locked inside the sweltering car, multiple times.

What Rita and Larry couldn’t explain away was the surveillance footage that showed them casually going about their day while Christina’s life ebbed away inside the vehicle. Over a span of nearly six hours, they left her to suffer in rising temperatures without breaking the window, without calling for help, and without once showing the urgency the situation demanded.

By the time Rita and Larry finally retrieved the spare key to unlock the car, Christina had been dead for hours.

Was It an Accident—or Something More?

Throughout the investigation, both Rita and Larry’s stories shifted, contradicted each other, and omitted crucial details. In the interrogation room, Rita’s dramatic emotional outbursts—screaming, hyperventilating, crying out to God—were in stark contrast to the cold, detached behavior she displayed just hours after Christina’s death.

The truth, as it unraveled, was more sinister than anyone had expected. According to interviews, including exclusive ones obtained by investigators, Rita had a history of leaving Christina unattended. Former roommates recalled instances where Christina was left alone for long periods, locked in her room, or left to cry behind closed doors while her mother was busy elsewhere. One particularly disturbing account came from a former roommate, Brittany Honeycut, who remembered waking up to find Christina in distress and bleeding, only to be told by Rita to “just clean her up.”

The more police dug into Rita’s past, the darker the picture became. Christina’s school had reported untreated burns on her body only months before her death, raising concerns about the care she was receiving at home. Additionally, the Department of Social Services had received multiple complaints regarding Rita’s neglect, but none of them had been sufficiently followed up before it was too late.

Even more shocking was the revelation that both Rita and Larry had used methamphetamine in the days leading up to Christina’s death. Larry admitted to using drugs the day before, and Rita’s own blood tests revealed traces of methamphetamine in her system as well. This information cast a long shadow over their claims that they simply forgot Christina in the car or that they thought she was safe.

The Verdict: A Mother’s Fall from Grace

Rita Pangalangan wasn’t just any mother. She had been a teacher for 25 years, winning accolades and respect from her community. Twice named “Teacher of the Year,” she had worked tirelessly to provide for her family, even building a handicap-accessible bathroom in their home for Christina.

But that dedication and responsibility unraveled in the face of drug use, a deteriorating relationship, and the pressures of caring for a child with special needs. As the investigation revealed, Rita had grown increasingly resentful of the demands Christina’s condition placed on her. At one point, she told a friend that Christina was “getting too big,” a comment that investigators couldn’t ignore when considering her motives.

The culmination of years of stress, neglect, and poor decisions led to Rita’s final downfall. In September 2023, both she and Larry were convicted of murder and inflicting great bodily harm to a child. Rita was sentenced to 37 years in prison, while Larry received 32 years. Neither of them will be eligible for parole.

Despite the conviction, Rita has continued to deny any malicious intent, maintaining that Christina’s death was a tragic accident. She even remarried while awaiting her trial, finding a new partner who, shockingly, claimed to have no knowledge of her legal troubles when they began their relationship.

A Family Torn Apart

The loss of Christina not only shattered her immediate family but also left a gaping hole in the lives of her older sisters, who had grown up loving and caring for their disabled sibling. They, too, stood by their mother, believing that drugs had altered her judgment, but that deep down, she loved Christina and never meant her harm.

In the aftermath of the trial, Christina’s sisters remembered her fondly. They spoke of her laughter, her love of cartoons, and the joy she found in simple pleasures like riding a horse for the first time. At her funeral, they honored Christina’s love for Dora the Explorer by making it the theme of the service, a bittersweet reminder of the life she had lived despite her challenges.

A Final Note on Justice

Christina’s death serves as a devastating reminder of the vulnerability of disabled children and the consequences of neglect. While her family still grapples with the loss and the media attention surrounding the case, the justice system has spoken.

The tragic irony is that Christina, who was completely dependent on others, couldn’t advocate for herself. Her suffering went unnoticed by the very people who were supposed to care for her, leaving behind a legacy of pain, heartbreak, and haunting questions about how something so horrifying could have happened to such an innocent child.