KATY, Texas – Just as the sun was rising in the sky Saturday morning, a baby was born. Before lunch, a man dumped the baby on a walking trail near a bayou in Harris County.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says the baby was found wrapped in a towel around 9 a.m. at the end of a cul-de-sac on Casa Martin Drive.
According to detectives, the baby still had the umbilical cord attached.
“The baby was a newborn,” said Sgt. Juan Garcia with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. “Still had fresh placenta on the baby. So, it was freshly born this morning.”
Security camera video captured a man abandoning the baby on a bridge that connects homes off Casa Martin Drive to the walking trail along a bayou.
“That’s gross negligence,” said Daniel Moran. “The baby could die within an hour or two. It’s incomprehensible really.”
Thankfully, a family walking the trail was headed home and spotted the baby within a few minutes of her being placed on the ground.
“We were coming back from our walk this morning, heading home because it was hot,” said Daniela Fedele, who spotted the towel on the bridge. “When I went ahead and looked closer, that’s when I noticed a little baby would like her two feet moving. I think it was like, am I seeing this, right? Like, are my eyes really seeing a baby here?”
Her husband scooped up the baby while Daniela called 911.
“I hold it. The baby opens their eyes to me, looked at me,” Luis Marin told KPRC2′s Gage Goulding. “We make eye contact. And I’m like, how can somebody just do this?”
“It had the umbilical cord. So, it’s like so many questions go through your mind,” added Fedele.
Paramedics rushed the baby to the hospital.
The infant is already doing much better, thanks in part to this family who was chosen to be in the right place to save her life.
“We were just there by chance. I guess by God,” Fedele said. “God put us there, I guess.
Detectives now need your help tracking down the man who left this child here.
Update: we need your help! We are seeking info about a young Hispanic or White male, slim, fair complexion with black hair, that was holding the infant wrapped in a towel. He was wearing a black shirt, possibly gray pants. The male was on foot on the Plantation 1/2 https://t.co/5gqP4OwLbt
SPRING, Texas – The Harris County Constable deputy who was shot while pursuing a suspected armed robber in Spring has been released from the hospital, Constable Mark Herman announced.
Deputy Constable Deteryon Fontonet spotted the suspect’s vehicle after he’s accused of robbing two Academy Sports and Outdoors with a fully automatic AR-15 pistol.
“One of the pistols, but it’s a fully automatic AR-15 rifle,” said Constable Mark Herman. “It’s a smaller version. It’s about this big. It has a full AR 15 clip in it.”
When the suspect refused to surrender, a car chase ensued.
That chase ended at 5310 Slashwood Lane in Spring.
The suspect then got out of his car and shot Deputy Fontonet, hitting the deputy in the face, before running into a relative’s house.
“I seen our patrol car there are 16 holes in it,” said Constable Mark Herman. “And there’s even holes through the window of the car where the deputy was standing.”
Deputy constables surrounded the home, and the suspect was eventually taken into custody.
A Harris County deputy has been shot while pursuing an armed robber in Spring, according to Harris County Constable Precinct 4 Constable’s Office. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
The suspect was identified as a 23-year-old man. His name was not yet released.
Deputy Fontonet was taken to Northwest Hospital.
There he will need facial surgery, but he is expected to survive.
“The good Lord was looking out for our deputy,” Constable Herman said.
Deteryon Fontonet (Harris County Constable Precinct 4)
Authorities are seeking an attempted capital murder of a peace officer charge.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
After being sentenced to six years in prison for possession of child pornography in 2022, a Harris County man who was out on parole has been arrested once again for the same crime.
Jorge Mazuera, 37, was first arrested in August of 2021 after an investigation by Constable Mark Herman’s High Tech Crimes Unit. After being sentenced to six years in prison for six felony charges in October of 2022, he was later released on parole.
Following his release, Herman’s unit once again received notice that there was a warrant for Mazuera’s arrest for violations of his parole, which included further possession of obscene material depicting children.
On June 11, investigators executed a felony warrant and arrested Mazuera once again. Police say an electronic device was recovered and additional charges are still in play.
“Our Office has taken a firm stance on identifying and eradicating child pornography and will continue to dedicate the necessary resources to seek out and charge those who prey on our children,” Herman said in the post.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
HOUSTON – The family of as man shot and killed while working at the Houston Farmers Market is opening up about the loss of their loved one.
Damon Price, 36, was shot after confronting two teens who were allegedly trying to steal a golf cart from the Houston Heights business early Thursday morning.
According to the Houston Police Department, a fight ensued after Price confronted them. That’s when a 14-year-old pulled out a gun and shot Price, killing him.
On Saturday, just two days after he was killed, Price’s fiancé is opening up only to KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding.
“To know Damon is to love Damon, and he was truly loved,” Ashley Thomas said. “A great father, a great friend, provider, everything. He was everything to me.”
Price, at just 36 years old, was murdered while working the early morning shift as a gatekeeper at the Houston Farmers Market.
He leaves behind his fiance and the six kids they share between them.
Damon Price and his fiancé Ashley Thomas. Price, 36, was killed when two teens shot and killed him while trying to steal a golf cart from the Houston Farmers Market. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
Ashley Thomas: “I’m gonna say my kids because he love my kids like they were his own. And that was my babies, too. I know they hurt.”
Gage Goulding: “They have to grow up without a father now, your kids. That was a father figure for them to grow up without that.”
Ashley Thomas: “For four years. They [were] so used to him coming in the door. And now to see that he can’t come in and not to hear him say. His words ‘Off your ass, on your feet’ is, this is crazy, to not hear those words.”
Gage Goulding: “What are you going to miss most about Damon?”
Ashley Thomas: “The way he loved me and he loved on me.”
She didn’t realize something happened until she called down to the Houston Farmers Market on Thursday morning. She sensed that something was wrong when she woke up.
“We have a routine, she said. “And the routine was if I don’t text him before he text me, we better text each other and I did not get it text, a ‘Good morning, baby.’”
When she reached the security guard at the Houston Farmers Market, she learned the love of her life was gone.
“That’s when she told me to sit down. And I’m like, ‘Why, I gotta sit down?’ And she tells me. I still feel like I’m in a dream and I pinch me. But it’s my reality. Yeah, he’s not here.”
Damon was shot and killed by a 14-year-old who was trying to steal a golf cart. When he confronted them, a fight started and one of the teens pulled out a gun, shooting and killing Damon.
Gage Goulding: “These are teenagers that did this and took this man not only out of your life, but out of your children’s life, out of his children’s life.”
Ashley Thomas: “I can’t—I can’t even process it. What are y’all doing? I can’t even be angry because these are children. I don’t know how to be angry at kids when I have kids myself.”
Gage Goulding: “Do you think that there’s a violence problem here in Houston?”
Ashley Thomas: “Of course, and it needs to come to an end.”
Damon’s family is planning on a balloon release to celebrate his life next week.
HOUSTON – As you prepare for hurricane season by prepping for your family, first responders in Houston are doing the same.
At the Houston Fire Department, firefighters are training just in case the Houston area finds itself in the path of a hurricane this season.
Part of that training includes rescuing people from fast-rising water or flooded-out communities.
“Swift water is dangerous,” said Captain Michael O’Hare of the Houston Fire Department. “We are that last line of defense Before they are hurt.”
Captain O’Hare is among the group of leaders heading the training at Schlitterbahn Waterpark on Galveston.
There, the men and women of the Houston Fire Department are earning their name of “Houston’s Bravest.”
The training scenarios put firefighters in real work scenarios with real consequences for just one wrong step.
A Houston firefighters training for hurricane season at Schlitterbahn Waterpark on May 15, 2024. Photo by Jack Quillin (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
“This opens eyes, but this doesn’t come close to the real forces that you’ll be dealing with,” Captain O’Hare said.
So why are we at a waterpark?
“Schlitterbahn is nice enough to give us a couple days to run the pumps up,” Captain O’Hare said.
The different kinds of currents and pools give Houston Firefighters the opportunity to get a feel for some of the different kinds of swift water they could encounter.
KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding was invited to tag along for an exclusive opportunity to train alongside firefighters to get a taste of just how difficult their training really is.
KPRC2 reporter Gage Goulding training alongside Houston firefighters ahead of hurricane season at Schlitterbahn Waterpark on May 15, 2024. Photo by Jack Quillin (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
The first session involved flipping a capsized inflatable rescue boat.
“If our boats are caught sideways in the current, they will probably knock over,” Captain O’Hare said.
When that happens, one of the firefighters swims under the boat and braces themselves in the air pocket.
Meanwhile, on the top, another firefighter is using their body weight to pull on straps and flip the boat upright.
“This is what we want our guys to realize before they do get inside the water the first time,” said Firefighter Christopher Cullen.
Next, firefighters headed over to the not-so-lazy river for some defensive swimming training.
“Our feet are up and in front in case we encounter something under the water that we can’t see,” Captain O’Hare explained.
A Houston Firefighter training for hurricane season at Schlitterbahn Waterpark on May 15, 2024. Photo by Jack Quillin (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
In this instance, it’s a giant plastic tube, which could be a floating tree or telephone pole.
“Things that we call strainers, or anything that is stopped in the water, that if we get wedged up against, we won’t be able to recover,” said Captain O’Hare. “So, we learn how to swim over those or to divert around them.”
The easy part is floating on your back and letting the current push you along. But flipping around and getting over the obstacle is no walk on the beach.
Gage Goulding: “It wasn’t that bad. But the camera doesn’t do it justice.”
KPRC2 reporter Gage Goulding training alongside Houston firefighters ahead of hurricane season at Schlitterbahn Waterpark on May 15, 2024. Photo by Jack Quillin (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
The Houston Fire Department saved the best training for last – one that was introduced with the following statement: “We’re not here to get hurt.”
At the Boogie Bahn, crews crank up the water blasting at our feet.
“This isn’t normal training where you go out and just do it,” Cullen said.
The goal is to work as a team and move sideways through the swift water, using only a paddle to check for dangers in front of them.
“A lot of people, they see this skinny moving water and think it is not moving very fast,” said Cullen. “And since it’s not moving very fast and it’s not deep, they think they can cross it.”
KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding was voted to the front of the pyramid by his fellow teammates.
KPRC2 reporter Gage Goulding training alongside Houston firefighters ahead of hurricane season at Schlitterbahn Waterpark on May 15, 2024. Photo by Jack Quillin (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
Two Houston firefighters were holding Gage down by his life vest while he moved sideways through the water, breaking up the pressure for those behind him.
They made it most of the way through the water, but where the current was its strongest, we lost one of our teammates.
It wasn’t long until everyone fell.
Christopher Cullen: “We’re going to put you in some harm’s way, and you might get some bumps and bruises on it. That’s the only way you’re going to learn from it.”
Gage Goulding: “So how did I do with everything? Be honest.”
Christopher Cullen: “I think you did great. I mean, you saw everybody falling down. That gets everybody over there.”
While it might look like fun and games, it’s a very important experience for firefighters to get their feet wet when it comes to dangerous flood waters.
A Houston Firefighter training for hurricane season at Schlitterbahn Waterpark on May 15, 2024. Photo by Jack Quillin (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
“We don’t want our guys to walk out and haven’t been introduced to that type of water before,” Cullen said.
While they’re preparing for hurricane season, they use this knowledge year-round.
In early May during historic rainfalls and flooding, the Houston Fire Department deployed their swift water teams to rescue those caught in the flood waters or trapped in their homes.
“The opportunity for us to go in and help evacuate people; It’s good for refreshing us and boat operations and safety factors,” Captain O’Hare said.
While they hope everyone heeds warnings, evacuates and never finds themselves in harm’s way – they need to be ready just in case.
“If something does happen, you’re going to have a team that’s ready to come get you,” Cullen said.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
“About an hour and a half before we hit Houston, they ask for if you’ve been on this cruise ship, could you raise your hand,” James Snell recounts from his flight.
All of the ill passengers were previously on a cruise. A total of 75 passengers flying on the plane were on that cruise.
Firefighters and paramedics met the passengers as they landed at George Bush Intercontinental Airport following the five-hour flight from Vancouver, British Columbia.
“Then all of a sudden, the flight attendant, she put on a mask, and the guy next to me is like, ‘What do you think’s going on?’ And I’m like, ‘Bro, I don’t know. You know? I mean, COVID, we’re all going to die.’ You know what I mean,” said Snell.
Three people were “evacuated” from the airplane, but no one was taken to the hospital.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the plane landed around 6:30 p.m.
“Then firetrucks and ambulances started pulling up,” Snell said. “They didn’t hold us very long, maybe 45 minutes-ish.”
Passengers aboard the airplane say that the pilot and flight attendants alerted them that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating the illness.
“This is where it got weird,” Snell said. “He [the pilot] got over the speaker, but he came out to us and he said, ‘Hey, in my 25 years of flying, I’ve never seen anything like this. We have been quarantined by the CDC. Nobody can exit the plane until the CDC lets us off.’”
After being let off the plane passengers were screened by paramedics from the Houston Fire Department.
“As soon as you got off, you got mobbed, wanting to know if you had any symptoms and did you want to be triaged,” Snell said. “But then they let us off and I thought, man, you’re letting us off in Houston airport. Like we’re going everywhere in the world. This is how it started the last time.”
The last time refers to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s what he and other passengers thought they could be dealing with.
“We’re all trapped in this tube, and we’ve all lived through Corona. And I was just like, oh, come on. Not again,” Snell said.
KPRC2 asked the FAA, CDC, Houston Fire Department and United Airlines for information about which cruise ship the passengers who got sick were on and for the illness, but none of the organizations would provide further information.
According to information from the CDC, there have been seven outbreaks of illness on cruise ships this year.
Cruise Line
Cruise Ship
Sailing Dates
Causative Agent
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Summit
5/24-5/31, 2024
Norovirus
Princess Cruises
Sapphire Princess
4/5-5/7, 2024
Norovirus
Royal Caribbean International
Radiance of the Seas
4/8-4/22, 2024
Norovirus
Silversea Cruises
Silver Nova
3/31-4/16, 2024
E. coli
Holland America Line
Koningsdam
2/17-3/24, 2024
Norovirus
Cunard Line
Queen Victoria
1/22-21/6, 2024
Norovirus
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Constellation
1/3-1/12, 2023
Norovirus
The most recent is a norovirus outbreak on the Celebrity Summit cruise ship.
Norovirus is commonly known as the “stomach bug” and can lead to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It’s a highly contagious virus, but is typically not a severe illness and passes in a few days, the CDC reports.
According to Celebrity Cruises’ website, the Celebrity Summit ship is currently sailing between Seward, Alaska and Vancouver, British Columbia.
Vancouver is where the United Airlines flight full of sick passengers took off.
KPRC2 asked Celebrity Cruises for more information about their outbreak and if it’s connected to the sick passengers that landed in Houston. We’re still waiting for an answer.
Meanwhile, United Airlines tells KPRC2′s Gage Goulding that the plane is being pulled from rotation until it can be deep cleaned.
UNITED AIRLINES STATEMENT
“Several passengers who had been on the same cruise and did not feel well were on United Flight 1528 from Vancouver to Houston tonight. United Airlines is actively coordinating with health authorities to address the situation. As a precautionary measure, the aircraft will be removed from service and go through a deep cleaning before returning to service. Ensuring the health and safety of our passengers and crew remains our top priority.”
KPRC2 asked the CDC for additional information. A spokesperson for the nation’s top disease agency said they would not provide an update until Monday.
This is a developing story. Stay with KPRC2 for updates.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
HOUSTON – Four people are dead after two suspects murdered them before turning a gun on themselves and taking their own life.
Additionally, two other children, one in each instance, were also hurt during the two incidents.
On Thursday a mother was shot and killed by a man she was dating in Spring, according to investigators.
The man then shot himself.
Police say a young girl was also injured and flown to the hospital as a result of the incident.
And on Friday another man shot and killed a woman in Independence Heights. Investigators there say the man then tried to escape with the two-year-old child they shared together.
When police caught the man with the child on a bicycle, he pulled out a gun and took his own life.
These are extreme examples of domestic violence.
However, many cases live in the shadows of daily life throughout Houston.
That’s why KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding is having an open conversation with Sylvia Phillips, a legal advocate at Fresh Spirit Wellness.
Gage Goulding: “Two murder-suicides in the last 48 hours, right here in our city. What does that tell you about what’s going on in our community?”
Sylvia Phillips: “It tells me that people are not. The information is not getting out.”
Gage Goulding: “Domestic violence doesn’t discriminate. It can impact anybody of any walk of life.”
Sylvia Phillips: “Absolutely. It can impact doctors, lawyers, teachers, teenagers.”
Gage Goulding: “It everybody who can they call? What can they do? I know they might feel alone, but what can they do? They’re not alone.”
Sylvia Phillips: “They’re not alone. There’s several organizations they can call one in particular this Fresh Spirit. They can always call us, and we will help them come up with a safety plan of getting out. They can even text the domestic violence hotline, which is 88788. 911 operators are trained to take calls from individuals in a domestic violence situation. All they have to do is dial 911 and tell the operator they would like to order a pizza. The operator immediately starts asking questions like how many pizzas do you want? One or two, that lets them know how many people are in the house. The abuser will usually stop and allow you to order food.”
Gage Goulding: “What can they look out for? Are there some telltale signs that, hey, there might be an issue happening here?”
Sylvia Phillips: “Yes, it’s sometimes it’s very subtle. It is controlling what you wear, controlling who you talk to, controlling what you eat.”
Gage Goulding: “Even not all domestic violence is about a relationship, though, right?”
Sylvia Phillips: “Correct. It is domestic violence. Is anyone living in the same house? It can be a domestic violence against, partners. It can be domestic violence against a mother, against a child, an adult child.
Gage Goulding: “What would you say to anybody that is looking for help, that needs that help?”
Sylvia Phillips: ”Make the call. Make the call. Call fresh spirit. We will guide you through getting out. That first step is is hard to do.”
If you are in immediate danger, safely call 911.
For more information, resources and local reporting on domestic violence in Houston – visit our Breaking Free webpage.
Help is also available immediately if you need it through the following numbers:
If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
Today at 10 a.m., Congressman Colin Allred will join Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Commissioner Lesley Briones, and Council Member Abbie Kamin in Houston to assess the damage to homes and infrastructure from recent storms and discuss forward solutions.
The visit will include a firsthand look at the storm damage. Sinclair Elementary, located at 6410 Grovewood Ln in Houston, was one of the hardest-hit schools in the Houston ISD from recent storms.
During the visit, Congressman Allred and Congresswoman Fletcher will observe the damage to local communities and infrastructure caused by recent extreme weather events. They will speak with local city officials and Houston residents to better understand the needs for future storm preparation.
“Allred is committed to helping communities rebuild, including advocating for federal resources for recovery and the implementation of commonsense proactive measures to mitigate damage from future extreme weather events,” stated a press release.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
HOUSTON – The Harris County Clerk’s Office announced at least a dozen voting centers have lost power during primary runoff elections after severe thunderstorms rolled through the Houston area Tuesday afternoon.
As of 1 p.m., the clerk’s office stated it will monitor weather and work to restore power at the voting centers.
Voters are being asked to go to HarrisVotes.com to locate their nearest open vote center.
“The safety of election workers and voters is our priority. Please continue to monitor weather in your area before heading out to vote.”
HOUSTON – After a nearly two-week-long battle with their landlord, many residents in a Houston Heights apartment complex are looking to move out and move on with their lives.
The Durham Heights Apartments on West 26th Street near the 610 Loop were without power, air conditioning and running water for well over a week following the severe weather outbreak on May 16.
It took up until this Saturday for the building to finally get power restored. And only then was it a slow process to get each and every apartment back online with electricity and air conditioning, which is a necessity in the brutal Houston heatwave this Memorial Day weekend.
CenterPoint says it was able to turn the power back on Saturday afternoon following required repairs which were the responsibility of the property owner.
In the meantime, residents were forced out after a City of Houston inspector came and deemed the property to be unlivable, posting a notice on the door.
A notice from the City of Houston ordering “life-safety elements” to be fixed at the Durham Heights Apartments after residents have been living without power and running water for well over a week. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
This ended up being the icing on the cake for residents who were already on the brink of bailing out and finding a new home.
“I am 65 years old. This is more than I signed on for,” said Linda Carrette. “It’s kind of a little bit, too late. By Thursday last week, I had to go ahead and find a place to live.”
She’s not alone.
Most people KPRC2′s Gage Goulding spoke with said they are seeking housing elsewhere.
“Unfortunately, I don’t see myself staying in a place that I can’t even reach out to with a simple question,” Opal Francis said.
Even though the power is back on, many residents say not everything is working or appliances were broken as a result of whatever caused the major electrical issue in the building.
“Yeah, my fridge is on the blink,” Carrette said.
On top of that, residents shouldn’t even be back in their homes as the city hasn’t yet rescinded their order stating the building is unlivable.
“We actually are not supposed to yet because the city has not removed then inhabitability status yet,” Francis said.
It’s that very tag that could be their ticket out of their lease, according to a housing attorney.
“I think that if there’s a notice on the door that’s been posted by any authority, like the city or fire marshal, I think a tenant can rely on that to break the lease,” Dana Karni of Lone Star Legal Aid explained. “We recommend that tenants go out of their way and pay for certified mail return receipt requested. We also highly suggest hand delivery, but memorialize it. That means pull out your cell phone and either video or audio. Record that you’re actually delivering a copy of the letter, and keep a copy of the letter for your own records.”
After that — move out.
“From the moment the tenant has moved out, the tenant is entitled to a pro-rata refund of the rent that they’ve paid and their entire security deposit back,” Karni said.
The same plan goes for repairs. Send a request for repair in writing and ensure its delivery.
Your landlord has seven days to make those repairs, which the state declares as “reasonable time.”
“That seven days would start when the landlord receives the letter. I think it’s imperative that tenants send out a letter requesting demanding a repair just as soon as possible,” said Karni. “Tenants have very few rights in Texas, but tenants do have some rights.”
Understanding those rights can help you if you’re ever stuck between a rock and a hard place with your landlord.
If you have questions or need assistance with an ongoing dispute, Lone Star Legal Aid may be able to help you. Call 713-652-0077.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
HOUSTON – It’s almost like an evil game of monkey in the middle. The residents of the Durham Heights Apartments in Houston Heights being the monkey caught in the middle of CenterPoint Energy on one side, and their apartment managers on the other side.
For more than a week, they’ve been without power and running water after a severe weather outbreak in the Houston area.
The apartment complex has a water system that relies on an electric pump to move water to each of the apartments on the corner of Durham Drive and West 26th Street.
Relief was in sight when CenterPoint Energy came to replace a big green transformer outside of the apartment building.
However, when they turned the transformer on, they found yet another problem.
“Last night, CenterPoint Energy’s team replaced the transformer that serves the Durham Heights Apartments,” a CenterPoint Energy spokesperson said. “Upon attempting to re-energize the complex, the team determined that the customer has a cable fault within their conductors. Unfortunately, until the customer fixes their equipment, this complex cannot be energized.”
Residents woke up on Friday to yet another day of blistering warm temperatures in their rented homes with a forecast that only has the mercury moving upwards into dangerous territory.
The heat is on!🥵It’s the “unofficial” start to summer this Memorial Day weekend & it will certainly feel like it. Heat indices in the triple digits are expected. Even though there are no heat advisories in effect yet, make sure to practice heat safety! Stay hydrated & cool! pic.twitter.com/EnVqSX1SOP
“It’s hot as heck in my apartment,” Kathryn Guthrie said.
“I stayed here up until last night. Last night was kind of my breaking point,” Tannis Rhodes added.
They’re looking for some kind of answer, some sort of light at the end of the tunnel.
According to residents, they’ve been getting emails from the apartment manager, but they’ve been full of false promises and no real updates.
When KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding went to get answers, he was met with the classic response of: “No comment.”
Gage: “Hi. How are you?”
Apartment Manager: “Good.”
Gage: “My name is Gage. I’m with KPRC 2 News.”
Apartment Manager: “Yes. I saw you yesterday.”
Gage: “Yeah. So, what’s going on?”
Apartment Manager: “I will have to just, you know, no comment right now. I was not able to or at liberty to discuss anything, but everything’s kind of like being worked on. But we’re not at liberty. No comment right now.”
Gage: “Okay, so CenterPoint has you energized. So, the is internal, right?”
Apartment Manager: “Like I said, no comment right now. And if you can just step over here for me.”
The apartment manager isn’t lying; work is being done. But there’s no inkling as to where the problem is or when the solution will be delivered with power being resorted to the residents who are expected to pay rent on the first of the month.
“For her to just, like, not say anything and not give us like an update or real actual answers is very frustrating for me at least,” Guthrie said.
While the apartment complex’s electrical contractors were working, we asked for our own third-party professional electrician to take a look at the situation and give their best judgement without actually touching the problem itself.
“I don’t know why they would have a fault in one of the wires from just this [transformer] going out,” John Longorio from Panther Electric said.
Finding the answer and the problem amid the mess of wires might be a lot harder than it sounds.
Gage: “So, they have to go through each individual wire until they find. “
John: “Yeah, that’s what I would be doing for.”
Gage: “A long day ahead of them.”
John: “If one of them or if they find that if they find the short, then it is probably going to be a matter of them pulling the wire out and pulling it back in.”
Until the issue is found, a solution is drawn up and the problem fixed—all the residents here can do is wait.
“I’m going out of town for Memorial Day weekend and really if it’s not on by the time I get back from that. Yeah, I’m getting out of here,” Matt Murray said.
KPRC2 asked IR Living, the owner of the apartment complex, for more information. Our messages were not returned.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
HOUSTON – Criminals across Harris County are taking advantage of security lapses after last week’s deadly storm that left hundreds of thousands of people without power.
Thieves targeted the most prized possessions of a lifelong Houstonian, whose mother died four years ago, at her powerless storage unit after she went days without power at home.
“It’s sad to take advantage of people at such a vulnerable time. A lot of us were without power and then to do that that on top of everything else … tragic,” Yesenia Garcia told KPRC 2′s Bryce Newberry.
Garcia visits her storage units almost every day because of an online business she has with her husband, she said, and for days, the facility didn’t have power.
When power came back on Monday night, she visited the Premium Storage on Sierra Ranch Drive and found two of her units rifled through.
“They just grabbed boxes and tossed them. Stuff everywhere. We spent hours just cleaning it up,” she said.
As they cleaned, she realized two priceless items were missing: The accordions her mother gave her as a young girl.
“One of them was my very first accordion that I ever had. My mom bought it for me years ago when I told her, ‘Hey, I want to learn how to play accordion,’ and so that holds a lot of sentimental value to me. Then after I played that one to death, she bought me a much higher value one,” Garcia said.
She has played since age 13 and taught others to play, too.
“They just hold so much sentimental value to me,” she said. “I don’t care about the money. It’s just the significance of them.”
Garcia estimates another 40 units got hit at the facility and shared photos of cut locks scattering the hallways.
The facility’s surveillance cameras weren’t working, she said, and neither were the cameras at a nearby gas station.
“Very difficult. Just so many theories about what happened and not a single concrete one,” she said.
She reported the missing accordions to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, which took a report for theft.
In an email to tenants, Premium Storage acknowledged the loss of power and wrote in part: “Someone utilized this devastating time to break into our facility. We are still investigating how this occurred.”
KPRC 2 reached out to the company late Thursday but has not yet heard back.
“The bad guys who would like to take advantage of this: Don’t even think about it. We’re watching you,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said at a Sunday news conference.
On Wednesday, Houston Police announced the arrests of 15 people who were caught breaking into businesses, like pawn shops and dollar stores, that didn’t have power after the storm.
ARRESTED: These 15 suspects tried to take advantage of power outages after last week’s storm and break into businesses in our city.
One business told KPRC 2 a next-door business had hired security and saw the suspects in the act so they called police who responded and arrested them.
They are now facing charges like burglary, theft, and criminal mischief.
Harris County court records show many of them have a long list of convictions and some are already out on bond.
Joel Huffman, who has been convicted 16 times with offenses dating back to 1982, had his storm-related charges dismissed after a judge found no probable cause, records show.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
HOUSTON – A senior living apartment complex in Houston is accused of abandoning its vulnerable residents after a severe weather outbreak in Houston on Thursday.
During an update on the recovery following Thursday’s deadly storm in Houston, Mayor John Whitmire spoke about an issue that was brought to his attention.
Whitmire said the city was informed about an assisted living facility, Independence Hall on Burress Street, whose management allegedly abandoned those living at the facility after the storm hit Thursday.
Houston Firefighters responded and immediately transported at least two people to the hospital on Sunday, according to Fire Chief Samuel Pena.
“They haven’t had energy, they haven’t had food, their insulin has been ruined,” Whitmire said. “We were notified of this and I can’t begin to tell you the response was so impressive by Houston Fire, Houston PD, the Health Department, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, all the stakeholders ran to Independence Hall and that’s where I’m headed at the conclusion of this press conference.”
Whitmire said they are going to hold the management accountable.
“We’re going to hold the management responsible. If they want to do business and be licensed in the state of Texas in the City of Houston, they’re going to have to care for their clients,” he said.
The mayor visited the site on Sunday evening alongside Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Pena and acting Houston Police Chief Larry Satterwhite.
He took KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding and Photojournalist Patrick Hardesty into one of the worst impacted units. The ceiling has collapsed in and many of the belongings inside were soaking wet.
“This is not just from the storm. The units 260, have been neglected for years,” Mayor Whitmire said. “You have an absentee owner placing a manager that doesn’t have the resources to address these life safety issues.”
Residents echoing the words of the Mayor. They say staff at Independence Hall left them high and dry after weather moved through the area on Thursday.
Gage Goulding: “Did they do anything to help you? Did they bring you ice? Did they bring you food?”
Wanda Fitzpatrick: “No. No food, no ice, no nothing. You need to come and see about us. You want our rent money. We want to live better than where we living.”
Calling the situation deplorable, Whitmire said they haven’t been able to contact everyone living there. Houston Firefighters and police officers were going door to door and they weren’t leaving until every last resident was accounted for.
Whitmire said there are approximately 260 units at the assisted living facility.
The City of Houston already flagged Independence Hall in April, placing a red tag on the front of the building. Issues with electrical permits for several buildings was the cause and it appears the issues were never corrected.
The Mayor now says he’s working with law enforcement to potentially pursue criminal charges.
“We’re discussing the HPD, the criminal neglect, abandonment of the owner and leaving people living in these conditions,” he said.
KPRC2 asked the management of Independence Hall for comment on this story. We have yet to receive a response.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
CYPRESS, Texas – If there’s one word to describe what happened in the Bridgeland neighborhood on Thursday, it would be destruction.
Several homes in the recently constructed neighborhood in Cypress are questionable to even be repairable.
On Thursday, an EF-1 tornado eyed up the community, packing a punch that is forcing families to find another place to live for the foreseeable future.
The winds from the tornado—which peaked well over 100 miles per hour—were strong enough to pick apart houses, throw wooded planks like projectiles, and pierce whatever was in their path.
Damage from an EF-1 tornado along Longhorn Point Drive in the Bridgeland neighborhood of Cypress, TX on May 18, 2024. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
After the winds calmed, families walked outside to find their homes were destroyed and their roofs missing.
“We were all in here,” said David White, while showing KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding where he waited out the storm. “Four dogs. Me, my wife and my 16-year-old. We’re sitting on cushions and blankets in here, and it was vibrating, and I was holding on to them. And I was thinking, ‘If this is it, at least we’re going together.’ It was very scary.”
The White family is one of several that can no longer live in their home.
Actually, David and his crew managed to escape their safe place just in the nick of time.
David: “The drywall got wet and collapsed.”
Gage: “You look at this. You look at the room that you sheltered in, and yet your family’s still here. How lucky do you feel?”
David: “We count our blessings, because that’s the most important thing.”
He’s not alone. Two doors down, 16-year-old Alejandro Marrero is also thankful for his guardian angel.
“You know God’s here,” he said.
He rode out the tornado in a closet with his mother and grandmother. All walked away without a scratch.
Alejandro: “I walked outside of the bathroom and then ran into the closet.”
Gage: “Do you feel lucky to be alive?”
Alejandro: “Yeah. But I’m also lucky that my mom and grandma and everyone else here is alive.”
Damage from an EF-1 tornado along Longhorn Point Drive in the Bridgeland neighborhood of Cypress, TX on May 18, 2024. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
While some of the families here are left to pick through the pieces, others are already back to normal daily life with their electric back.
How did their power get turned on so quickly?
This is likely because the community is newer and has its utility lines buried underground.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
KPRC Storm Tracker 2 intercepts a tornado near Cypress, Texas on May 16, 2024. (Gage Goulding, Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
HOUSTON – As a line of severe weather moved towards the Houston metro area, the KPRC 2 Storm Tracker was out keeping you updated with live traffic conditions.
For several minutes both the crews in the Storm Tracker and the meteorologists back at the KRPC studio used this real-time information to help warn others in the direct path of the tornado.
Watch the full video here:
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
HILLSHIRE VILLAGE, TX – A baby is safe after a roof of an apartment building partially collapsed on them during Thursday’s severe weather.
The leasing manager at the Ravenwood Apartments off Long Point Road in Hillshire Village tells KPRC2′s Gage Goulding that the baby is safe and unharmed.
The roof of this apartment building is gone. Part of the roof collapsed on a baby inside. THEY’RE OK!!
HOUSTON – If there’s one thing that Texas is known for best, it’s our barbecue. It’s no secret that Houston is home to some of the best flavors in the game.
But one of the city’s best BBQ joints can be found along a residential street in Acres Homes.
“I mean, we’ve had a little bit of everybody here… Beyonce, everybody,” said Marcus Carter, Vice President of Burns Original BBQ.
Their brand is so flavorful, but it doesn’t just stop at their smoked meats. They have a line of chips, sauce and even drinks.
“We do a little bit of it all, and we even got a cola and a cream soda, as well,” Carter said.
Carter and his best friend, whom he calls his brother, are still building the Burns BBQ brand that Roy Burns started more than 50 years ago.
“It actually started with Roy Burns on the side of the road in a pickup truck,” Carter said. “And then he gradually migrated to a house. And then from there, it’s been here ever since.”
The Burns BBQ you see now is actually where his family used to live. Now, Roy Burn’s signature sauce is in homes all across Texas.
Kroger is selling the sauce in all 108 of their stores in the Lonestar State.
Gage: “You think Roy, back in 1973, would think we’d be sitting here thinking that y’all got a cola and some lemonade, some tea and a cream soda all over a barbecue brand?”
Marcus: “Especially not. Not like in a major spotlight.”
They’ve come a long way from their humble beginnings in the “44,” a nickname for Acres Homes coming from the neighborhood’s bus route number.
Even generation after generation, they’ve never forgotten that the “44″ is home.
Burns BBQ has donated tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships, they cook up free meals for holidays and even open doors for families.
“I mean, if you look on the street that everyone just rode in on, De Priest, any house that you see that’s Red and white, That’s actually a Burns BBQ-owned house, which we try to create homes within the neighborhood,” Carter said. “To be labeled as a staple and represent Acres Home, we make sure in our mission statement, never forget Acres Home.”
Sure, their smoked BBQ sets them apart, but it’s that family feeling that keeps people coming back to Acres Homes for more finger-licking good Burns BBQ.
“We got a lot of aunts and uncles that come through every day because if they ate here in the 70s, we consider them part of the family,” he said.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
HOUSTON – Just as many families are getting ready to put last week’s flooding in the rear-view mirror, Mother Nature is gearing up another storm that could dump several inches of rain on already saturated areas.
Another round of showers is forecast to move through the Houston area later in the day on Monday.
Some areas could see several inches of rain, including neighborhoods north of I-10. Many of those communities are still cleaning up from the most recent flooding.
“Yes, we washed up. But it stunk so bad,” said Sharon Hambrick.
It was a flood that nearly rivaled that of Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
In its wake is streets lined with debris and cars flooded out.
A visible water line on the seats of a car left behind in flood waters in the Forest Cove neighborhood of Kingwood in Houston, Texas on May 12, 2024. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
“t flooded, maybe 3 or 4 days, and it hasn’t flooded since like 2017,” said Glenn Sutton.
Gage: “We could see a healthy amount of rain, does that worry you at all that give you PTSD or Déjà vu?”
Glenn: “No. I’m okay. You know, it’s not going to rain 20 inches like it did the other day, I don’t think. But no, I’m okay.”
Sharon: “Yeah, especially my husband. He’s very worried. He always gets jumpy and, you know, should we do this anymore because of our age? We’re up in age.”
Simply put – some of these neighborhoods are like a soaked sponge.
Any more water and the ground might not be able to absorb it, resulting in flooding.
While this rain won’t even come close to what we just went through, it’s a knee jerk reaction that still has those that went through the heartbreak a little nervous about any kind of rain.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
KPRC 2′s Bryce Newberry visited the Yale Street Marketplace Supercharger, the latest charging station to be looted.
The chargers are back up and running now, and they’ve been working all evening. The scene this morning was a different story, as Tesla drivers were notified that the station was closed after its two dozen cables had been clipped.
A damaged Tesla Supercharger in Houston, Texas after thieves cut the high-voltage charging cable. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
Israel Robles is one of the many Tesla drivers who had to find a different outlet.
“It’s, like, really inconvenient, because you plan your destinations based on being able to charge on the way,” Robles said.
Here’s all the charging stations we know have been hit so far:
Kipling St – Montrose
Glenbrook Square, 6300 Telephone Rd
10850 Louetta Rd – Northwest Harris County
Westheimer & Dairy Ashford – West Houston
195 Yale St – Heights
With this sudden uptick in cable clipping, the question as to who’s committing these crimes—and why—remains unclear.
Some speculate that copper wire theft could be a motive, but this scrapyard owner says these thieves should think again.
Brandi Harleaux owns South Post Oak Recycling Center, a metal scrapyard in southern Houston where thieves might think to sell the insulated copper wire found in a Tesla charging cable.
“There could be folks who think that they can make a lot of money selling to a recycling facility like ours,” Harleaux said.
At Harleaux’s yard, the insulated wire goes for just 70 cents per pound. So hypothetically, 50 pounds of Tesla charging cable would only be worth $30.
Not only is the potential payout underwhelming, but the strenuous documentation process that scrapyards adhere to makes recycling stolen materials especially risky.
“It’s more steps to recycle material here than it is for many people to go to a bank,” Harleaux said.
Sellers are required to sign documents, have their picture taken and even submit their fingerprints. That information is then uploaded to state and local databases. With such stringent surveillance, Harleaux says targeting the charger cables just doesn’t make sense.
“Leave it alone,” she said.
Tonight, the motive of these crimes remains unknown. However, earlier this week, the owner if an electric vehicle repair company told KPRC 2 that his guess is it’s either a copper thief, or someone who has it out for electric vehicles.
“I feel like eventually, they’re going to get caught,” Robles said.
HOUSTON – Monday, KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding reported on the theft of 18 cables from a Tesla charging station in Montrose.
Since his report, more charging stations across the Houston area have been ransacked, leaving electric vehicle owners without a spark.
On Wednesday, the cables from all charging stations at the Glenbrook Square shopping center were stolen. Every single connector in the lot had been slashed.
An image of the stations after the theft (Adrian Montes, KPRC 2)
Then last night, more charging stations were clipped in northwest Harris County. One was located at 10850 Louetta Rd.
In the burglary on Louetta, a source tells KPRC 2 that a man, wearing a bIack hoodie and bIack pants, was seen cutting the charger cables at the station, before bolting across the street and getting into a bIack sedan.
It’s unclear whether the crimes are being committed by the same perpetrators.
Nathaniel French has owned a Tesla for nearly six years. As a long-standing fan of electric vehicles and someone who commutes from Austin for work, he knows his way around a charging station.
He visited a station that had been hit when he needed a charge, before being shocked by the inconvenient revelation.
“It’s unfortunate,” French said. “People don’t realize how much it affects you. It’s just kind of like going to get gas, and then you can’t get gas for your cars. It’s a struggle, and it’s frustrating to say the least.”
