2 young brothers killed after being hit by car

  ALVIN, TX (KTRK) -- A man and two children are dead after a late night accident in Brazoria County.

The two boys were with their father, pushing a disabled vehicle on County Road 144 near Alvin around 11:30pm when a vehicle ran into them.

The case took a strange turn for police when they discovered the man in car had been shot in the head.

As friends and family mourned Saturday, investigators swarmed the area, searching for answers -- anything to explain what happened.

"Nobody knows nothing but the people who were there, and two of them are gone," family friend Pete Villanueva III said.

According to the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office, the Barajas family was driving home when they ran out of gas.

Deputies said 12-year-old David and 11-year-old Caleb helped their father, David Sr., push their truck home.

"Another vehicle came up behind them -- and, of course, this was in the dark, early hours -- and struck the vehicle from behind, striking all three," BCSO Criminal Investigator Dominick Sanders said.

David Jr. died instantly and Caleb died at an area hospital.

Their mother and sister were in the disabled truck at the time. They were not hurt, officials said.

David Sr., was injured and rushed to the hospital. He was recovering Saturday night.

The accident happened just 50 yards away from the family's home.

Deputies arrived at the scene and found the car that hit the Barajas family smashed on the side of the road. Jose Banda, 20, was slumped over in the passenger seat with a gunshot wound to the head.

He later died at an area hospital.

There's no word at this point if that Banda was shot before or after the accident. Investigators found no weapons nearby and they haven't identified any suspects in Banda's death.

"We don't want to jump to any conclusions at this point until we've done a thorough investigation," Sanders said.

This case remains under investigation. Please stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for updates.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Dad accused of leaving 4 young kids alone in apartment with broken glass

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Houston man is accused of leaving four young children alone in an apartment with broken glass.

Tristan J Brown, 28, is charged with abandoning a child. According to court documents, on Saturday a woman called police to report children who had been left alone in an apartment in the 5500 block of Eskridge. The woman told an officer that she saw Brown, her neighbor's ex-boyfriend, put a small child through the hole of a broken window. The child then unlocked the door and Brown entered the apartment with three other children, the neighbor said.

The neighbor said she saw Brown leave a few minutes later and she became concerned because she knew the children's mother was at work. She told police she went over and found four kids, ages two to six, alone in the apartment. She also says a bathroom mirror had been broken and shards of glass were all over the floor.

Police called the children's mother who said that Brown, who is the children's father, was caring for them, and that he sent her a text saying the kids were alone at the apartment.

Bail in the case has been set at $10,000. Brown reportedly has prior convictions on drug charges.

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Young father's murder remains unsolved

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Houston man was gunned down after he responded to a knock at the door. Months after the murder near Midtown, his killer remains on the loose.

This crime happened at a home on Cleburne, near Dowling, not far from midtown, at about 7:30 in the evening on Saturday, February 25. The victim, 22-year old Jeremy Perry, answered the door and was shot multiple times.

Houston police investigators do not have a motive or any suspects at this time. They are in need of information. Perry's family says Jeremy was an architectural engineering student at HCC, and leaves behind a three-year-old daughter.

Jeremy's mother Sandra Perry said, "We really feel like Jeremy's story is a special one because he really didn't deserve what basically happened to him. It is such a travesty. If anyone knows anything, if they basically saw anything, it would be neat for them to just call Crime Stoppers."

Jeremy was an organ donor, donating four life-saving organs, which has helped the family deal with the loss, but of course, they want to see the case solved.

Anyone with information about the identity of the suspect is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for any information that leads to the filing of felony charges or arrest of the suspect in this case. Tips can also be sent by text message. Text TIP610 plus your tip to CRIMES (274637). All tipsters remain anonymous.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Students show off creativity at Young Inventors Showcase

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Young scientists showed off their creations at the annual Young Inventors Showcase Saturday.

Children from kindergarten through eighth grade displayed their creativity and engineering skills at the Children's Museum. The inventions included a shoe with a light in it, a magnetic pencil and an underwater wheelchair.

There are prizes for each age group and the grand prize winner gets a free patent application.

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A Young Life Changed by Whitney Houston

Young girl struck by car near elementary school

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A young girl is in the hospital after she was struck by a car early this morning.

The accident happened at about 7:30am on Concourse at Lawndale in southwest Houston. Harmony Elementary is not far from the scene, but it's not yet known if the victim was a student there.

The girl, believed to be about six to eight years old, was struck by a vehicle. A witness performed CPR at the scene. The girl was taken by ambulance to Texas Children's Hospital. Her condition is not known.

There's no word if the driver stayed at the scene, or if there will be any charges.

ABC13 Reporter Pooja Lodhia will have the latest on this developing story on ABC13 Eyewitness News at 11am.

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Cy-Fair school district charging young athletes to use high school track

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A controversy has erupted as young athletes are being asked to pay for the right to run at one public high school track in Cypress.

The school district says people started complaining about groups on the track here at Langham Creek High School, and so two weeks ago, school officials kicked them off the track. But one coach says it leaves his young athletes without a place to train.

Maddie Wilson is just seven years old, but already she can hit 10 feet 4 inches in the long jump.

"Maybe if I keep on jumping more and higher and higher I can finally live my dream and go to the Junior Olympics," said Wilson.

But with her first meet of the season coming up this weekend, her training has hit a hurdle.

"It's really no fair," she said.

Wilson is one of a few kids who works with Carnel McIntyre, a private track and long jump coach. They worked out at the Langham High track, beginning last year until two weeks ago.

"On that Monday, they had a staff person post saying you could not be on this track if you were coaching," McIntyre said.

Cy-Fair ISD says it's board policy -- non-profit groups must pay a $40 an hour fee and for-profit groups aren't allowed to use the track at all.

The district didn't enforce the policy until two weeks ago, saying in a statement to Eyewitness News, "Signage reflects that the Langham Creek High School track is designated for individual/community member use only. Patrons have complained about groups monopolizing this track."

"I got a call from the administrator over at facilities and she said I could rent the track," said McIntyre.

But McIntyre says he shouldn't pay a fee to train a Cy-Fair ISD student.

Wilson and her mom say they don't monopolize the track and they can't afford the rental fee.

"I don't see why a child that goes to a Cy-Fair school should be charged, but a walker who lives in the community doesn't get charged," said Chantel Wilson, Maddie's mom.

We called other school districts to find out their policies. Katy ISD does not charge for use of its tracks. HISD and Spring ISD did not get back to us. But another private running coach we contacted said in his experience, public schools don't charge unless the group is too large.

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Woman accused of sexually assaulting young boy

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A woman is accused of having sex with a young boy on multiple occasions, including while she was caring for him when his mother was in the hospital.

Karen Lee Carstens, of Riva, Maryland, is charged with sexual assault of a child under 17. According to court documents, Carstens was a friend of the victim's mother when she lived in the Houston area back when the alleged incidents occurred. The victim told police that Carstens began sexually assaulting him beginning at age 13 until he was 15.

Court documents state that Carstens, who is now 41, sexually assaulted the boy in the year 2007. Two years later, the boy says Carstens was caring for him while his mother was in and out of the hospital and that he had sex with Carstens during that time.

Police say the victim said Carstens told him not to tell anyone about their sexual relationship because she could get into trouble. He said the relationship ended when Carstens moved out of state in 2009.

Bond is set at $30,000.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Woman accused of sexually assaulting young girl while she slept

Maria Garcia DeLao, 27, is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 years of age. (Maria Garcia DeLao, 27, is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 years of age.)

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Conroe woman is accused of sexually assaulting a young girl while she slept.

Maria Garcia DeLao, 27, is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 years of age. According to court documents, the female victim, who was 13 at the time, spent the night at a Spring residence on May 7, 2011 when she claims she fell asleep and woke up to find DeLao sexually assaulting her.

Bond has been set at $30,000.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Santa surprises young students at Houston school

Santa Claus surprised young students at Houston's Crockett Elementary School Tuesday with backpacks full of toys

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Santa Claus made a surprise visit to thousands of elementary school children across Houston on Tuesday.

Martin Perez jumped for joy at Crockett Elementary School near downtown. Instead of homework and books, he and his classmates found backpacks stuffed with toys.

"I never knew that Nicholas was coming in here to give us our backpacks," said Perez.

"If you're good, you get presents, and you get to open them. I love Santa," said Rayyah Mouilso.

Volunteer Houston has been giving holiday backpacks to children in need for 24 years. Seven thousand pre-K through second graders at 21 local schools received gifts this year.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Mom accused of having sex with young son's friend

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Pasadena police are looking for a woman charged with sexually assaulting a boy when he was 12 years old.

Pasadena police say the boy's mother recently came to them when she grew suspicious that her young son may have fathered a baby with a family friend more than twice his age. That's still unknown, but the woman is now charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child.

Brandi Michelle Fuller is 30 years old and a mother of six. Now she's being sought by police. The charge is aggravated sexual assault of a then-12-year-old boy.

It allegedly happened two years ago at a mobile home park where neighbors remember her.

"You see somebody that needs a place to live, that's a female and has got a bunch of kids, you kind of see where it's gonna happen," said park manager Jimbo Cozad.

What police say happened in October 2009 was sexual assault. In a probable cause document, the boy says he was spending the night at Fuller's trailer when they first had sex. He claims it happened 10 or 12 times after that.

According to the affidavit, a police investigator states Fuller admitted to having sex with the boy when she and the children were all sleeping in the same bed, but that he initiated it and that she didn't want to make a big scene, so the encounter took place.

Her sister says she was staying with her at the time.

"We were all in the same room," said Brandi's sister Jennifer Fuller. "There was nothing going on, all the kids were in there."

Still, Fuller is charged and police are looking for her.

At the mobile home park, people are wondering about a former neighbor.

Cozad said, "You don't hear that much about women because it's pretty much kept quiet, but you know, that's a baby you're messing with."

Brandi Fuller does have a 10-month-old child, according to her sister. But the sister told Eyewitness News that Fuller claims the baby's father is actually the alleged victim's older brother, and that she's willing to produce DNA to prove it. First, though, Fuller and her children have to be found. Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Young woman found stabbed to death in SE Houston

 HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A young woman was found stabbed to death in southeast Houston overnight.

Police say the victim was found lying in the grass near the Broadway Park apartment complex on Broadway and Scanlock. Someone saw her around midnight and called 911. Police say she had multiple stab wounds. She was taken to Ben Taub Hospital where she later died.

Authorities say no witnesses have come forward.

"Nobody heard any disturbances. Nobody heard or saw anything right now," said Sgt. C.D. Howard with the Houston Police Department. "We've knocked on a lot of doors and we don't have a lot of information."

The victim hasn't been identified but police say she appears to be in her late 20s or 30s.

Investigators say they do not know where the victim lives. They have little information in this case; no suspects and no motive. If you have any information in this case, you're being asked to call authorities.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) 

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