HOUSTON -- Police arrested three men in connection with a Tuesday carjacking that left a 2-year-old girl dead, KPRC Local 2 reported Friday.
Police said Bakari Holland, 18, Koty Holmes, 19, and Rashard Renfro, 23, were all charged with aggravated robbery. Holland, who police said drove the stolen SUV, is also charged with felony injury to a child.
Stephanie Garcia died after the robbers carjacked her parents and then drove over her, officials said.
Officials said the family stopped at a car wash in the 8300 block of Jensen Drive near Sadler Street at about 10:50 p.m. Tuesday to use a telephone.
Police said the armed men tried to rob the father and mother, and took their vehicle when the couple did not have any money.
The men pulled the four children, between the ages of 2 and 6, out of the vehicle quickly.
Investigators said Stephanie was in front of the vehicle when the men took off. They ran over her and kept going, according to police.
She died at Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital.
Family members said the girl was one day shy of her second birthday when she died.
Police said the three suspects all confessed to their roles in the crime.
"As part of their confession, it's apparent that they knew that they had run over the child at some point," said Darryll Robertson of the Houston Police Department.
All three were arrested without incident Thursday night at separate locations in northwest Houston. They are being held without bond.
A Crime Stoppers tip led to their arrests. Investigators said they did not show remorse.
"There was a great deal of expression of sorrow of having been arrested," Robertson said.
Police did not release the suspects' pictures because they may be connected to other crimes and investigators did not want to tarnish any possible future lineups.
The suspects will not face the death penalty because the district attorney's office decided not to pursue capital murder charges.
The girl's family is less interested in vengeance and more concerned with burying Stephanie in peace.
"I only know one day they will be in front of God and he will do justice," Stephanie's mother said. "This is good so they won't do this to other people. I don't want them to have the same pain in their heart (as) I do."
A memorial fund has been set up to help the family return to Mexico to bury Stephanie. Donations can be made to the Stephanie Garcia Memorial Fund at any
Bank of America.
Any other offers of assistance should be made through the funeral home, Compean Funeral Home, 2102 Broadway, at 713-924-6900.
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