HOUSTON – Channel 2 has spoken to the grandfather of a 19-month-old girl who was found burned to death after being left unsupervised in a northeast Houston apartment.
The grandfather, Frederick Price Jr., says he is heartbroken over what happened and is traveling to Houston to help the family any way he can.
According to homicide detectives from the Houston Police Department, the mother was at work and had left her three children with her boyfriend at the Angel Ridge Apartments in the 8600 block of Sterlingshire Street on Tuesday. The boyfriend, at some point, also left the children.
The children -- a 5-year-old, two 3-year-olds and 19-month-old J'zyra Thompson -- were home alone when they started to play with the oven. Emergency crews arrived after midnight, but there was nothing they could do to save the baby.
J'zyra was covered in burns and died of her injuries.
The other children were taken into the custody of Children's Protective Services. The grandfather is trying to get custody of them.
"She obviously made a mistake. I know that is probably the greatest mistake that she could ever make," Price said.
Price says he was present when J'zyra was born and remembers her beautiful smile and eyes.
"She was the happiest baby you could find. She was an awesome child. She was an angel. I truly believe she was an angel sent from God," he said.
The father of the children, Frederick Price III, is also seeking custody of the other children.
At this time, no charges have been filed.