3 charged in baby's death

HOUSTON – Three people were arrested Thursday morning, more than two years after a 9-month-old girl was brought to a northwest Harris County hospital with serious injuries.

Harris County sheriff's investigators said the little girl eventually died from her injuries.

"She passed away, I did not (unintelligible) her, not guilty," said Jennifer Zarnfaller, 41, as she was led away from the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office in handcuffs.

Police said Zarnfaller has been charged with injury to a child with serious bodily injury. Vikas Sharma, 29, and Rona Landon, 71, were also arrested on the same charges. 

The trio was arrested by members of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force and Precinct 4 deputy constables. Chief Deputy Mark Herman said Harris County sheriff's detectives began investigating this case in July of 2010. 

"The mother of the 9-month-old took the child to Willowbrook Methodist. The child was determined to have some injuries," said Herman.

Sheriff's investigators have not revealed what type of injuries the child sustained. However, Herman said all three people arrested had access to the child and all three had been subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury.

"Allthree of them did not show up," said Herman.

Investigators said a grand jury indicted the trio on Wednesday but declined to release further details about the case. All three are being held in the Harris County jail on $50,000 bond.


About the Author:

Award winning investigative journalist who joined KPRC 2 in July 2000. Husband and father of the Master of Disaster and Chaos Gremlin. “I don’t drink coffee to wake up, I wake up to drink coffee.”