Harris County stabbing: Mom says she's sorry, in disbelief after her 12-year-old allegedly stabbed a woman
HOUSTON - A 12-year-old boy appeared in court Monday after investigators say he stabbed his neighbor over the weekend in front of his 7-year-old brother. It happened in Northwest Harris County and that's where we spoke with the boys’ mother.
"I just really want to apologize to her and her family and to all of our neighbors. I'm praying for her," says the boys' mom, who we’re not identifying.
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Violently stabbing a woman in her garage isn’t at all something you would expect two tiny boys to be involved in, but not only were the two brothers, just 7 and 12 years old there, detectives say it was the 12-year-old who stabbed the woman.
"I can't explain it. I'm at a loss for words, because I never in a million years thought my child would do something like this."
Captured on a neighbor’s camera, investigators say you can see the 7 and 12-year-old brothers riding their bikes, and then apparently arguing with the 59-year-old woman, until another neighbor tells the boys to keep moving.
10 minutes later, the boys come back. The video shows them walking up the 59-year-old’s driveway and then the 12-year-old runs into the woman’s garage.
In the five seconds the 7th grader is inside, investigators say the 12-year-old stabbed the woman several times.
"I’m constantly praying for her. I hope she has a speedy recovery," says the stunned mom of the two little boys.
The 12-year-old’s mother says her son battles mental health challenges.
"I'm sorry this incident happened. I'm not going to use my child's mental condition as an excuse for his behavior, because I do believe in accountability. I teach my kids every day, every action has consequences."
Neighbors say the 59-year-old woman also struggles with mental illness. I’m told one of the regular sounds often heard in the neighborhood is the 59-year-old woman walking and yelling.
"It's some kind of scary, scary. (It's scary even for you?) Yes. To be honest, yes," answers one man who lives nearby.
A few hours before the woman’s brother found her stabbed and bleeding on the floor of her garage, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office confirms deputies responded to April Valley Court because the woman was said to be hitting and stealing from her lawn crew.
"One of the neighbors called on Saturday and said I need to call her sister because she was stealing things from her own landscaper. She was in a mess with the landscaper, tried to hit somebody," the neighbor explains.
The 12-year-old remains in custody.
"I'm just still trying to process it. I wish I could see the lady and give her a hug. I really never expected my children to do any harm to anybody," the boys’ mother says.
"It’s an all around sad situation. I hope she's OK and recovers, and they take care of her. She needs a lot of help. I also, we pray for the mother of the kids. It's heartbreaking," says the neighbor.
"I'm very sorry to the family. I really mean it from the bottom of my heart. I am sorry," the mom of the boys adds.
The mother was at work when the stabbing happened and her mother was watching her children. The 12-year-old is charged with aggravated assault. The 7-year-old wasn’t charged.