13-year-old’s death under investigation after he was allegedly left ‘unresponsive’ for hours before family called police

Police lights (WDIV)

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A 13-year-old boy is dead after police said family members left him unresponsive for hours Monday morning, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to reports of an unresponsive teen at an apartment complex located in the 12700 block of W FM-1960 around 3 a.m.

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When deputies arrived, they found the 13-year-old boy unresponsive, in a fetal position on the floor.

According to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the teen lived inside the three-bedroom apartment along with six adults and seven children ranging in ages seven through 17.

The family told deputies that the teen, who usually sleeps on the living room floor, took an aspirin for a stomach ache before lying down to sleep at 8 a.m. Sunday. They said multiple people checked on the teen around 3 p.m., including some of the children who repeatedly called his name to wake him up. The teen remained unresponsive, but the family told deputies they didn’t think much of it because he was a “hard sleeper.”

When they went back to check on him Monday morning around 2:15 a.m., they said they noticed blood next to the teen and called deputies.

Investigators are working to determine the teen’s cause of death and said it occurred under “suspicious circumstances.”


About the Author

Moriah Ballard joined the KPRC 2 digital team in the fall of 2021. Prior to becoming a digital content producer in Southeast Texas and a Houstonian, Moriah was an award-winning radio host in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio, and previously worked as a producer/content creator in Cleveland. Her faith, family, and community are her top passions.

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