HOUSTON – A Houston mother is facing charges following Thursday's near drowning of her son at a pool at a northwest Houston apartment complex
Houston police said Linda Harden, 33, has been charged with injury to a child by omission.
Detectives said Harden told them that she was aware the pool at Oakwood Garden apartment complex on Antoine near Tidwell was closed, but that she helped her son jump the fence surrounding the pool so he could go for a swim.
Police said Harden told them when her son jumped into the water, he hit his head on the bottom of the pool and stopped moving.
Police said when paramedics arrived, Harden had already moved the boy back to their apartment. Paramedics revived the boy and rushed him to Texas Children's Hospital.
"Are you serious," said Krystle Jackson, a mother of two. "If you know the pool is closed, why would you still let your child jump in the pool? Then he ends up hitting his head."
Police said while Harden was at the pool with her son, she left her other three children, ages 2 to 4, alone.
"I would never … I don't even leave my 10-year-old alone, and he's more independent," said Jackson.
Police said another aspect of this investigation involves injuries to the boy's head and what appear to be appear "old injuries" on the 7-year-old.
Harden was arrested and booked into the city jail.
Harden's other three children are now in the custody of Children's Protective Services. ?