HOUSTON – A mother and daughter were forced to hide in a closet to save their lives as burglars ransacked their west Houston home.
Alloria Mahoney said she had a feeling something was wrong Tuesday afternoon when her doorbell rang repeatedly.
"I heard the doorbell ringing about 30 times," Mahoney said.
The young mother wasn't expecting anyone and she was home alone with her 3-year-old daughter, Hayden.
"They tore off the screen and the next thing I know the window was sliding open," Mahoney said.
The incident happened Tuesday afternoon in the 6300 block of Modesto in the Mission Bend area of Houston.
When Mahoney heard the suspects, she grabbed her daughter and ran into the master bathroom where the two hid in the closet, locked the door and prayed the burglars wouldn't find them.
"We were right here sitting on the floor on the phone with 911," she said. "My daughter was talking and I kept telling her to be quiet. She was crying. She wouldn't be quiet."
The intruders, who broke in through a window, were in the house for less than 10 minutes, Mahoney told Local 2. She said Harris County sheriff's deputies arrived on scene rather quickly but the intruders were already gone.
They ransacked several rooms and took three flat-screen TVs, some cash, Air Jordan sneakers, an iPad and a few gaming systems.
Mahoney's mother also lives in the home but wasn't there when the break-in occurred.
"She called me at work and told me, 'Mom, I think somebody's breaking into the house, I'm in your bedroom with the door locked,'" Terri Mahoney said. "TVs can be replaced, everything can be. My granddaughter and my daughter, no. I'm just so grateful."
Harris County sheriff's deputies are investigating. They told Local 2 they have no suspects at this time.