HOUSTON – A group of thieves broke into an east Harris County home, tied up a family and shocked a 4-year-old with a Taser, investigators said.
Harris County sheriff's deputies said it all started around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, when four men kidnapped a father from his work at a horse ranch on West Cedar Bayou Lynchburg.
Deputies said the crooks drove him to his house in the 14000 block of Waldine near Jacinto Port, forced their way inside and tied up his wife and 23-year-old son.
The thieves demanded cash, and deputies said when the father was unable to give them any, the crooks beat him and his son.
Investigators said the group also used a hand-held Taser on the entire family, including a 4-year-old child.
"They were asking them, where was the money? Where was the money?" said Minnie Arredondo, a neighbor. "I don't know if they took off with all of her jewelry. My daughter's over there helping them straighten the house. They made a mess of it."
Arredondo said the two ransacked the neighbor's house and threatened the family
"They say her son was kicked in the nose, his face, said if he didn't tell where the money was, they was going to cut his ears," said Arredondo. "They say he has little cuts behind his ears. The husband, they beat him up before they brought him here. They took off with him."
Deputies said two of the crooks then took off with one of the victims in his maroon-colored Ford F-350 and the other two took off on foot.
The victim later managed to escape, investigators said. Descriptions of the men have not been released.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).