Houston: Man with History of Violence and Drug Abuse Murders His 6-Month -Old Son, Sticks Him in Freezer for a Week

 



 
Baby's body found in refrigerator
Reported by Courtney Zavala
May 2, 2012, 12:06:22 p.m. CDT; updated at 5:58:47 p.m. CDT
KPRC News

HOUSTON -
A baby was found dead inside a refrigerator at a southwest Houston apartment Wednesday.

Houston police said they got a suicidal call from a man in the 7100 block of Beechnut about 7:30 a.m.

Officers said the man refused to let them into his apartment when they arrived. A neighbor saw what was going on and panicked because she knew a baby was inside.

"I got a hold of maintenance and they ended up kicking the door in," neighbor Evette Williams said. "Found the guy laying on the floor and no baby."

Police said it was obvious that a child lived there.

"There were some items that were indicative that a child was living there at some point," Sgt. Ora Chandler said.

Detectives ended up finding a baby boy, about 6 months old, inside the refrigerator. He was wrapped in a blanket and wearing clothing.

The baby's name and cause of death have not been released.

Investigators said the baby had not been seen in several days. Police said they suspect the body was inside the refrigerator for at least a day.

Detectives said the baby's father has been hospitalized. His name has not been released, but police said he has a criminal history.

* * *
Paramedics find dead baby in refrigerator
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Reported by Miya Shay
KTRK/ABC 13

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A baby was found dead at a southwest Houston apartment complex. Investigators say the little boy's body was found in a freezer inside that home.

The heartbreaking discovery was made at an apartment complex on Beechnut and Fondren. Investigators say the details are still sketchy right now, but they believe the baby could have been in the refrigerator since last Tuesday.

A six-month-old baby found inside the refrigerator in a first floor apartment shattered the usual quiet of this southwest Houston complex.

Neighbor Joseph York said, "I think it's awful for anybody to get killed, but a baby six months old? I don't think that's right, I know it's not.

Investigators say it all began with a 911 call early Wednesday morning. The father allegedly told dispatchers he was suicidal. But when first responders got to the home, they soon realized there was an even more tragic situation.

"When first responders responded to the scene, they in turn learned from neighbors that there was a child in the house," said Sgt. Ora Chandler with HPD Homicide.

"In searching for the child in the house, they opened the refrigerator and saw that the decedent was inside the refrigerator."

Investigators say the father was transported to the hospital. The mother, who didn't live in the complex, is being questioned by police.

Neighbors say they saw the child late last week, uncertain when exactly he died, but still in disbelief.

"When I was told he was in the refrigerator, that creeped me out," said neighbor Jessica Menjivar. "First, how can a parent do that, just do that? As soon as you see there's something wrong with your child, you call 911."

Apartment managers said off camera they believe the couple lived in the complex for about a year, but they are uncertain when the mother moved away to be with relatives.

[Thanks to reader-researcher RC for this story.]