(Miya Shay, Christine Dobbyn/KTRK 13 News)
Authorities are investigating a case of two young children found on their own in an abandoned school bus near Splendora in southeast Montgomery County.
It is a bus jerry-rigged with electricity and an air conditioning unit. Authorities say it was home for an 11-year-old girl and her five-year-old brother since 2009. But what’s really hard to believe is that investigators say the kids have basically lived here alone since the beginning of the year, when their parents went to federal prison for fraud.
“Where I think it crosses the line is the living environment. The kids were obviously physically unkempt,” said Constable Rowdy Hayden with Montgomery County Precinct 4. “That crosses the threshold for me.”
Officials say the children’s parents conspired to embezzle money from victims of Hurricane Ike in 2008 by assisting them in obtaining a Small Business Association (SBA) loan for the repairs to the damage the victims’ house sustained during the hurricane. They were charged with conspiracy and pleaded guilty in June 2011. In January, the father was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The children’s mother received the same prison term at her sentencing in February. (More at KTRK 13 News)
OTHER HEADLINES:
- How to Feed Houston’s Homeless: City Council Considers Ordinance (KUHF Public Radio)
- ‘Unknown’ On State STAAR Test Concerns Houston Schools (KPRC 2 News)
- Houston Electric Car Drivers Have a New Place to Power Up (KUHF Public Radio)
- Texas Higher Ed Graduating Many Latino Students (Texas Tribune)
- ‘KONY 2012′ Campaign Goes Viral Across World Wide Web (Houston Chronicle)
OPINIONS ON THE NEWS:
- Editorial: Don’t Make Criminals of Good Samaritans (Houston Chronicle)
While large, coordinated food charities are doing good, some often have trouble doing good well. - Seema Jilani: A Granddaughter Returns to Pakistan (New York Times)
After five years of absence, I returned to the land of my heritage in December with hopes of understanding why my ancestors gambled everything for this country. I left confused, disheartened, ashamed of its government and deeply empathetic towards its beautiful people, who deserve better.