Mother, her boyfriend charged after 8-year-old's remains were found in west Harris Co. apartment
Arrests have been made after an eight-year-old boy's remains were found at an apartment in west Harris County.
Gloria Williams, 35, the mother of the eight-year-old, and Brian Coulter, 31, the boyfriend of the mother, were taken into custody and charged on Tuesday.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Coulter has been charged with murder while Williams has been charged with injury to a child by omission and tampering with evidence (human corpse). Additional charges are expected to be filed.
According to the medical examiner, the eight-year-old's death has been ruled a homicide by multiple blunt force injuries.
The child’s skeletal remains were discovered Sunday at an apartment in the 3500 block of Green Crest near Westpark Tollway.
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Authorities say three other boys, ages 7, 10, and 15, were found abandoned at the apartment.
According to the sheriff’s office, the 15-year-old boy called authorities around 3:15 p.m. Sunday and said that his 9-year-old brother had been dead for a year and his body was in the room next to his. The 15-year-old said that his parents had not lived in the apartment with him and his two siblings for several months, HCSO says.
According to Sheriff Gonzalez, it is believed that the boy was eight years old at the time of his death in 2020.
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During a news conference on Sunday, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez was unable to disclose exactly how long the children were left behind, but based on the deplorable conditions inside the apartment were there for "an extended period of time." It did appear the children had food available, but currently, it's unclear how they were surviving.
The three children were transported to the hospital to be assessed and treated. Authorities say the two younger children appeared malnourished and showed signs of physical injury.
RELATED: Mom of 3 boys found abandoned, living with their deceased brother questioned and released
According to the sheriff's office, the children's mother and her boyfriend were interviewed by homicide investigators and released at first.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit, Child Abuse Unit, and Crime Scene Unit responded to the scene and are conducting the investigation.