9-year-old skeletal remains found: Neighbors say they’d feed 15-year-old who was abandoned with brothers in Harris Co. apartment

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A dwelling nightmare has been unfolding inside an house in southwest Harris County, with darkish, twisted secrets and techniques together with a 9-year-old’s useless physique, his brothers left to fend for themselves and his dad and mom nowhere to be discovered.

On Sunday, the Harris County Sheriff’s Workplace stated a 15-year-old boy on the CityParc II at West Oaks Flats known as and stated his brother had been useless for a 12 months within the room subsequent to his. He additionally informed deputies that his mother hasn’t been again in months, leaving him and his two different brothers, ages 7 and 10, alone.

Earlier than calling for assist, the 15-year-old texted his mother to inform her he couldn’t take it anymore, ABC13 has discovered.

SEE MORE: No charges filed, mother and boyfriend released after 9-year-old found dead and kids were abandoned

“The primary time I noticed him, he was sleeping on one of many slides,” stated neighbor Erica Chapman.

Neighbors stated the 15-year-old relied on them for meals. Chapman stated she knew one thing was fallacious as a result of his mom was not often house, so she began giving him meals six months in the past.

“She would come and park, and he would run down and seize noodles, drinks and chips and run again up,” Chapman stated.

Chapman stated the teenager would not settle for cooked meals. He would solely take packaged snacks, fruit and pizza.

In the meantime, ABC13 discovered the mom and her boyfriend lived in an house simply quarter-hour away in Westchase. On Monday, after the couple was questioned and launched by the Harris County Sheriff’s Workplace, ABC13 bumped into the couple. They rolled up their window and shortly drove off.

WATCH: Mother who deserted 4 sons in Harris Co. house launched by authorities

“We see them come and go,” stated neighbor Tanieka, who solely needed her first identify used. “We by no means noticed any youngsters. None.”

Tanieka stated the mom and her boyfriend lived in a unit downstairs and have been ceaselessly seen by neighbors. She estimated they’ve been dwelling there since January or February.

Again on the house complicated the place the boys lived with their brother’s corpse, one other neighbor, Trevor Thompson, stated he would additionally present the teenager with meals. He described the teenager as paranoid and stated he was afraid of getting poisoned, which is why he would solely settle for sure meals.

“Just a few occasions I seen the lights weren’t on, and it was quiet upstairs, so I figured there was bother as a result of the dad and mom have not been there shortly,” Thompson stated. “Someday, he got here right here and knocked on the door and requested if he might use the charger, and we constructed a bond from there. I began providing him meals as a result of I knew he wanted greater than only a charger.”

What each Thompson and Chapman have been unaware of was the secrets and techniques and horror taking place contained in the house. They did not even know there have been two different brothers dwelling there.

Thompson stated he as soon as requested how the pizza he obtained him was.

“I requested, ‘Did you just like the pizza?’ And he requested, ‘What? The primary pizza we had?'” Thompson stated. “That made me marvel why would he say, ‘We.'”

Chapman thinks the 15-year-old stored his different two brothers a secret out of concern.

“After discovering out what occurred [Sunday], I believe he was extra nervous and scared,” Chapman stated. “Are they going in charge me for this? Are my dad and mom going to punish me for this? Possibly his dad and mom informed him they’d be separated if he informed anybody.”

Each neighbors stated they by no means known as authorities as a result of they did not perceive the magnitude of the state of affairs. They stated the 15-year-old stored to himself and was quiet and did not reply many questions.

“I did not need to push him away by asking questions as a result of I knew he was ravenous and wanted meals,” Chapman stated.

Alief ISD confirmed to ABC13 that in 2019 and 2020, the varsity district filed truancy papers towards the mom. Two of her youngsters apparently failed to indicate as much as faculty. District officers stated the youngsters have been final enrolled in Could of 2020. Officers weren’t instantly sure how lots of the youngsters have been college students within the district. The pandemic has made issues worse for susceptible youngsters, in line with Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of Kids at Threat.

“It was very simple for these youngsters to fall by way of the cracks,” Sanborn stated. “Texas has at all times relied on academics to be that line of first protection for youngster abuse and these youngsters by no means obtained to that place the place a instructor might establish what was occurring with them, or start an investigation, or alert CPS or others to what was taking place.”

In accordance with the sheriff’s workplace, all three boys have been taken to the hospital, the place medical doctors stated they have been malnourished with accidents. The 7-year-old had facial fractures, sources stated. Harris County Sheriff investigators say they’re ready for post-mortem outcomes to come back in earlier than submitting prices.

The Texas Division of Household and Protecting Companies is in search of emergency custody of the three boys. A spokeswoman confirmed CPS has a historical past with the household however there was no lively investigation on the time they have been discovered.

SEE MORE: 9-year-old has been dead inside SW Houston apartment for a year, 3 other kids were abandoned: HCSO