Three abandoned children and the skeletal remains of a fourth person, who was likely their brother, were found Sunday in an apartment west of downtown Houston, authorities said.
Three abandoned children, human remains found in apartment
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a 15-year-old boy, who reported that the body of his 9-year-old brother was in the room next to his, the agency said in a statement.
The boy had been dead for a year and the parents had not lived in the apartment for “several months,” the teen told the sheriff’s office, the statement said.
When deputies arrived, they found “the remains of a toddler, which appeared consistent with the age provided by the 15-year-old” and two other children under the age of 10 in the home, the sheriff’s office said.
The children appeared malnourished, showed signs of physical injury and were transported to a hospital, authorities said.
Authorities located the children’s mother and her boyfriend. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Monday morning that they had been interviewed and released.
No charges have been filed and the investigation is ongoing.
It was not immediately clear how long the children lived alone, or whether they attended school.
Gonzalez called the situation “heartbreaking” in a tweet announcing the news.
Investigators are trying to talk to any adults who may be connected to the trio, who are now in county custody, the report said.
