Authorities in Houston have launched an investigation following the death of a 9-year-old boy who appeared to be malnourished. The incident occurred on Monday morning in southeast Houston, prompting a response from the police and emergency services. The boy was found unresponsive in his apartment by neighbors who had heard his mother screaming for help. Despite efforts to revive him, the child was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The circumstances that surround his death are currently under investigation.
Houston police received a distress call just before 5 a.m. from an apartment complex on Algonquin Drive. Neighbors rushed to the aid of a mother who was heard screaming for assistance. Upon entering the apartment, they discovered the lifeless body of a 9-year-old boy lying on the floor. One of the neighbors immediately began performing CPR while waiting for emergency services to arrive. Paramedics from the Houston Fire Department arrived at the scene simultaneously and continued resuscitation efforts. The child was then transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead approximately an hour later.
Investigators and witnesses have noted that the boy appeared to be malnourished, with a visibly emaciated frame and a sunken stomach. The mother informed the police that the child had been dealing with recent medical issues, as well as a long-term illness. Assistant Chief Chandra Hatcher stated that it is currently unclear how these medical conditions may have contributed to the events leading up to the boy’s death. The mother has two other children, aged 4 and 3, who also displayed signs of malnourishment but did not require immediate medical attention.
Child Protective Services has been contacted, and Houston Police Department’s homicide investigators are currently speaking with the mother. As the cause of the child’s death has yet to be determined, it is premature to speculate on the involvement of foul play, according to Assistant Chief Hatcher. The mother had recently moved into the apartment complex, approximately two months prior. Investigators noted the lack of furniture in the apartment, although there was food in the refrigerator. Neighbors reported instances of the children asking for food in the past.