Sheriff Ed Gonzalez updating media at 3535 Green Crest. Three juveniles were found alone in a home, along with a deceased juvenile. Homicide investigators long with CPS and Child Abuse investigators are on scene. #HouNews pic.twitter.com/SpJXHbBswy
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) October 25, 2021
Three children were abandoned to live with the skeletal remains of a 9-year-old boy at an apartment complex, say authorities in Harris County, Texas. One of the survivors said the child had been dead for a year, according to officials.
“I’ve been in this business for a long time, and I had never heard a scenario like this,” said Sheriff Ed Gonzalez in a press conference on Sunday. “It really caught me by surprise.”
Authorities said this happened at a Houston-area apartment on 3535 Green Crest Drive. According to deputies, a 15-year-old boy said that his 9-year-old brother had been dead for a year and skeletal remains were located in the room next to his. Investigators found two other boys at the apartment, 7 and 10 years old.
“Both appeared malnourished and showed signs of physical injury,” deputies wrote. Authorities took the younger children and the 15-year-old to a hospital for assessments and to receive treatment for injuries.
“It is believed the parents have not [lived] in the unit for several months,” deputies wrote. “The mother of the children and her boyfriend were located late last night.”
Gonzalez called this a “very horrific set of circumstances.” The investigation is ongoing. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Law&Crime’s questions, including one about who specifically were the children’s legal guardians.
No arrests have been made.
[Screenshot via Harris County Sheriff’s Office]
