Marilyn Edge, Ariz. woman, arrested in Calif. on suspicion of murder in children's deaths

(CBS/AP) SANTA ANA, Calif. - Marilyn Edge, a suicidal Arizona mother, was taken into custody Saturday and booked on suspicion of murder after she allegedly directed authorities to a hotel room in Santa Ana, Calif. where the bodies of her two children were discovered.

Police say Edge, 42, of Scottsdale, tipped off police to the bodies after she apparently intentionally crashed her car outside a shopping complex.

The deceased children have only been identified as a 13-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl. Their names, the motive and cause of death have not been released. The children's father lives out-of-state and was not notified of the deaths until Sunday.

Edge was driving a car with Georgia license plates when she crashed into an electrical box outside a shopping complex in Costa Mesa on Saturday morning. Her most recent address was in Arizona, Santa Ana police Cpt. Anthony Bertagna said, and it wasn't immediately clear why she had come to Orange County.

After the crash, police said Edge refused to get out of the car and tried to choke herself with a belt or rope as rescuers worked to free her, reports CBS Los Angeles. Police found propane in Edge's car.

As she was being taken to the hospital, Edge told authorities they could find her children at a hotel in nearby Santa Ana. After officers discovered the bodies, police obtained a search warrant late Saturday for the hotel room and worked overnight on the case, Bertagna said.

No weapon had been recovered from the scene, Bertagna said.

Edge is expected in court Tuesday for an arraignment hearing. 

It's not immediately clear if she has an attorney.