Houston News

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Houston Food Bank needs your help

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- In this the holiday season the Houston Food Bank is hoping you will open your heart and give. The organization says donations are down but the number of people in need is up.

The Houston Food Bank has one million pounds of food less than it did last year.

In all, they distribute about 70 million pounds of food. So a million pounds may not seem like a lot when you hear that big number but the problem is the Food Bank isn't seeing as much of those nutritious foods they need.

Two years ago the Food Bank says it had 37 tractor trailers of peanut butter. This year nothing, that's in large part because food prices are higher and they aren't getting as much help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"USDA Food has come in at a much reduced rate. We have about 40 percent less USDA Food than we had last year. And that's the most nutritious stuff," said Betsy Ballard with the Houston Food Bank.

So, if you can donate, the best things to give are canned fruits and vegetables. Proteins like peanut butter, canned tuna or even beef stews.

If you can't donate items, keep in mind that just $1 provides three meals, to someone in need.

You can join us for the 31st annual Share your Holidays Food Drive. This will benefit the Houston Food Bank. It's this Friday from 6am to 6pm here at the ABC13 studios on Bissonnet. There are collections sites all over the area.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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1 of 14 men charged in child rape case pleads

CLEVELAND, TX (KTRK) -- One of the 14 men accused in the repeated sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl accepted a plea bargain Monday during a court hearing in a case that has horrified and divided their small Southeast Texas town.

Isaiah Ross, 21, of Cleveland, was facing life in prison on a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child, but he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Under the deal, Ross agreed to testify against his co-defendants, whose trials are expected to begin next month.

Prosecutors recommended a 15-year prison term for Ross, though his sentencing won't be held until Feb. 6. Ross, his family, his defense attorney and prosecutors declined comment about the guilty plea. A gag order bars anyone potentially involved in the case from speaking to the media.

Authorities say the girl was assaulted on at least five occasions between mid-September and early December 2010 in Cleveland, about 45 miles northeast of Houston. The investigation began that December, after one of the girl's friends told a teacher he had seen a lurid cellphone video that showed the girl being raped in an abandoned trailer.

Six juvenile boys were also charged in the case, and three of them have pleaded guilty.

Most of the adult defendants appeared at Monday's hearing in Liberty, and District Judge Mark Morefield indicated he didn't want any more delays in the case. He said trial dates would likely be announced during a hearing Jan. 5.

"These cases are taking priority. In January, these cases are going to trial," Morefield said.

Prosecutor Joe Warren told Morefield that all DNA testing has been completed. He said the trials of the remaining defendants, who have pleaded not guilty and are expected to be tried separately, could begin in January or February.

Warren didn't detail the results of the DNA testing, which had caused delays.

Warren also told Morefield that a plea bargain offered to another defendant, 19-year-old Jared Cruse, would carry a 25-year prison term in exchange for his cooperation. Cruse is being held without bond and has been charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child. A decision on the plea offer is on hold until Jan. 5, because Cruse intends to hire another attorney. His current attorney declined comment.

Most of the defendants are free on bond, and none of those who appeared in court Monday spoke to the media. Many were allowed to leave the courtroom through a back entrance to avoid reporters.

The suspects range in age from a middle-school student to a 27-year-old, and include two star athletes at the local high school and adults with criminal records.

Most of the men face charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child, while four face a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child.

The case shined an unflattering spotlight on Cleveland after some in the town of about 9,000 residents suggested the girl was culpable in part for what happened, claiming she wore makeup and looked older. Some also accused her parents, immigrants from Mexico, of not watching her more closely.

But those suggestions were sharply criticized by many Cleveland residents, along with community and religious groups outside the city.

Also complicating the case was a belief by many in the predominantly black neighborhood where several of the suspects live that the arrests were racially motivated. All of the suspects are black, while the girl is Hispanic.

The girl, now 12, remains in foster care while her parents, who have health problems and moved out of Cleveland after receiving threatening phone calls, work with authorities to get her back.

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Armed robbery suspect sought by Crime Stoppers

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Crime Stoppers and investigators with the Harris County Sheriff's Office are seeking the public's aid identifying and apprehending the suspect in a November aggravated robbery.

At about 9:45pm on Thursday, November 17, a man robbed an area business located on the 3000 block of Gears Road. It was just before closing when a man entered the store wielding a revolver, according to Crime Stoppers. The suspect pointed the pistol at two store employees and demanded the cash from inside the registers.

The victims complied with the suspect's demands and released an undisclosed amount of cash to the suspect. He then fled the scene on foot toward Walters Road.

Crime Stoppers say the suspect is described as a black male with dark complexion, 19-28 years old, approximately 5'10"-6'0", weighing 160 - 180 pounds. At the time of the offense he was wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt with distinctive designs on the shoulders, a dark shirt, dark pants and dark shoes.

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 called in to the 713-222-TIPS (8477) or submitted online at www.crime-stoppers.org 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 ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Police investigating man's death while in custody

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston police are investigating the death of a man at the downtown jail.

According to police, Deltric Deon Caldwell, 39,was arrested in the early morning hours on Sunday in the parking lot of a strip center for possession of narcotics and tampering with evidence. Caldwell was medically screened by HFD paramedics, transported to HPD Central Jail at 61 Riesner Street and later became unresponsive. He was discovered at about 5:50am and HFD paramedics were called to the scene.

Caldwell was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences will determine his cause of death

The incident is being investigated as an in-custody death since it occurred in the presence of HPD personnel. As is customary in such cases, the incident is being investigated by the HPD Homicide and Internal Affairs Divisions.

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Boy, 3, taken during car theft reunited with mom

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A 3-year-old boy who was taken during a car theft in west Harris County was reunited with his mother Monday night.

The incident happened around 7:30pm at a convenience store in the 2900 block of Barker Cypress Road near Morton Road. Authorities say the vehicle was stolen while the mother ran quickly inside the store and left her 3-year-old son in her running car.

"It was the worst experience I've ever experienced in my life," the boy's mother, Lucresa Dobbins, told Eyewitness News. "I thought my life was over."

Dobbins said she decided to just run into the store by herself when she saw no one standing in line at the cash register. While inside, she says she kept her eyes on her 3-year-old son, Jermaine.

"And next thing you know, I see this man, but I'm thinking he's getting in the car with the people next to my car -- because they're getting in their car -- then I see him fiddling with my door, and I'm like what is he doing? So I just immediately run to my car, because by then, he just hopped into my car and was driving off," Dobbins said. "He was trying to drive off and I'm beating on my car and the man in the store is beating on the car and we're trying to get him out and he just backs up, like hey this is my car and I'm leaving in it tonight -- that's how he treated it."

Harris County Sheriff's Office Sgt. S. Hayes said a witness tried to follow the car for a while but lost it on Interstate 10. The suspect then dropped off the boy at Select Specialty Hospital in the Heights about an hour later, and he was reunited with Dobbins there.

"Everybody's happy now," Hayes said. "The child is safe. Now we just need to locate the car and the suspect."

Authorities describe the stolen car as a black Chevy Malibu with the Texas license plate number DSH 128. The suspect was described only as a Hispanic male, but detectives say they have surveillance video of the suspect stealing the car from the convenience store and dropping the boy off at the hospital.

But a woman who identified herself as Dobbins' mom said she just thanks God her grandchild was found unharmed.

"I just feel sorry for anyone that's had to go through this. I never thought I would, but praise God. God is good," she said.

And Sgt. Hayes said there's a lesson to be learned from Monday night's incident.

"The lesson to this story is never leave your child in a running vehicle for no reason. You're better off just turning the car off, taking the child with you, " Hayes said. "That way you have peace of mind, you don't have these things to worry about."

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Woman charged in fatal hit-and-run wreck along Beaumont Highway

Lydia Mejia, 62, is charged with an accident that caused injury or death.

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A female driver has been charged in a deadly hit-and-run wreck along Beaumont Highway over the weekend.

The victim, Juan Mascotto, was walking on the side of the highway in the 11000 block near John Ralston on Saturday night when he was hit by a pickup truck. The driver told deputies he just didn't see Mascotto, but he did stop.

Then a second truck hit Mascotto and one of the people who had stopped to help. The driver, Lydia Mejia, took off, but bystanders caught her about a mile away.

Mejia, 62, is charged with an accident that caused injury or death.

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Driver rescued after being pinned in car

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A woman had to be rescued after crashing her car near downtown overnight.

It happened around 2:45am on the Southwest Freeway near Gray. Crews shut down the freeway as they worked to clear the mess.

Police say the woman lost control of her car and smashed into a metal guard rail. Crews had to remove the doors of the car to get her out. She went to the hospital listed in stable condition.

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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

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