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LA MARQUE, Texas (AP) —
A 14-year-old boy accused of killing his pregnant mother had twice been removed from her custody because of the woman's substance abuse and her partner's domestic violence, child welfare officials said Tuesday.
La Marque Police Chief Kirk Jackson said investigators believe the boy acted alone in killing the woman. Jackson did not release a possible motive for the slaying of the mother, 33, whose body was discovered Saturday in her home. Her son was found Sunday in Houston, along with a vehicle from the family's home, then charged with a juvenile count of murder, police said.
"There's no indication that there was anybody involved in this," Jackson said Tuesday.
Details of the woman's death have not been released.
Estella Olguin, spokeswoman for Harris County Child Protective Services, said another son also was removed from the woman's custody less than a month after his birth for the same reasons as the older boy.
The teenage suspect was first removed from her custody in October 2005 and was in foster care until his paternal grandmother received custody of him in March 2007, she said. He again was removed from his mother's custody in April 2010 and was in foster care until his father was awarded custody in February 2011.
Jackson declined to say whether police found weapons or any signs of a struggle at the residence, where mother and son recently moved. Police had not previously received any disturbance calls at that home, according to the police chief.
"They had just moved to this house not too long ago. We don't have any prior history at that house," Jackson said.
Jackson had no information about the boy's father or an attorney for the teen, who remained in juvenile custody and has cooperated with investigators, the police chief said.
Prosecutors are waiting until the criminal investigation is complete to decide whether to seek to prosecute the teen as an adult, said Paul Love, chief of the misdemeanor and juvenile division of the Galveston County District Attorney's Office.
EL PASO, Texas (AP) —
A former U.S. Border Patrol agent has been found guilty in the shooting of his estranged wife's boyfriend in El Paso.
Forty-one-year-old Alberto Montelongo was convicted Tuesday of one count of attempted capital murder and one count of continuous family violence. The sentencing phase of his trial is scheduled to begin Wednesday. He faces up to 99 years in prison.
Authorities say that in February, Montelongo went to his wife's home and got into an altercation with her and her boyfriend, Jesus Rodriguez. Prosecutors say Montelongo shot Rodriguez in the head and struggled with his wife over a knife, resulting in several cuts to her hands. Rodriguez survived.
Authorities say Montelongo took his wife and Rodriguez hostage and a standoff with El Paso law enforcement lasted for several hours before he was arrested.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) —
An unlicensed San Antonio child care provider faces state review after a 4-month-old boy was bitten more than two dozen times.
A Child Protective Services spokeswoman says the investigation began Monday, including an unannounced inspection at the residence.
The victim's parents rushed their baby to a hospital Friday after picking up their son and seeing the wounds. The boy apparently was bitten by another child. Medical officials counted 27 small bite marks.
CPS spokeswoman Mary Walker said Tuesday that authorities believe the unlicensed day care operated for eight years. Eight children were found at the residence Monday. The operator has agreed not to care for children amid the investigation and pending seeking a permit.
No charges were immediately filed.
LA MARQUE, Texas (AP) —
Investigators believe a 14-year-old boy who's charged with killing his pregnant mother acted alone, a police chief said Tuesday.
La Marque Police Chief Kirk Jackson did not release a possible motive for the slaying of the mother, 33, whose body was discovered Saturday in her home. Her son was found Sunday in Houston, along with a vehicle from the family's home, then charged with a juvenile count of murder, police said.
"There's no indication that there was anybody involved in this," Jackson said Tuesday, adding that officials believe "he acted alone."
Details of the woman's death have not been released. An autopsy was scheduled Tuesday, Jackson said.
Jackson declined to say whether police found weapons or any signs of a struggle at the residence, where mother and son recently moved. Police had not previously received any disturbance calls, according to the police chief.
"They had just moved to this house not too long ago. We don't have any prior history at that house," Jackson said.
Jackson had no information about the boy's father or an attorney for the teen, who remained in juvenile custody and has cooperated with investigators, the police chief said.
Police were not sure if the woman had any other children. She and the boy were the only ones living in the house, , Jackson said.
A Child Protective Services spokeswoman declined to offer information about the boy's history, according to the Houston Chronicle. Court documents indicate the woman at one point had a legal dispute over paternity and custody of a son, amid "a history or pattern of child neglect," the newspaper reported. At one point CPS took custody of the child.
It was unclear whether the CPS documents were referring to the boy charged with killing his mother or another child.
The Associated Press left messages seeking comment from CPS, prosecutors and the coroner's office.
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (AP) —
Experts say the algae bloom known as red tide has showed up in high concentrations on the beach at South Padre Island.
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department says water samples show lesser concentrations near the South Padre Island convention center.
Fish kills were confirmed Monday in the area, plus at Padre Island National Seashore, Boca Chica beach and Port Mansfield.
South Padre Island, a year-round beach spot and spring break destination, was excluded from Saturday's coastal beach cleanup for safety reasons due to red tide.
The reddish bloom can kill fish and lead to shellfish poisoning in humans who consume it. Red tide aerosols, kicked up through wave action, can cause breathing troubles in humans.
Signs of red tide were also confirmed near Pelican Island and at Port Aransas (uh-RAN'-sus).
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
A push by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for more undercover operations has led to citations for nearly 1,600 violations.
Agency officials in Austin say the bulk of the effort targeted retailers wrongfully serving people under age 21, which is the legal limit for consuming alcohol.
The TABC on Monday released results for its 2015 fiscal year, in which nearly 14,600 stings were done. That compares with about 12,800 undercover operations the previous fiscal year.
The 2015 stings led to 1,137 violations, resulting in cases against businesses or employees who sold alcohol to consumers under age 21.
Other operations led to 455 alcohol violations including sales to an intoxicated person, intoxicated permittees and violations of legal hours for selling alcohol.
The TABC oversees more than 43,000 licensed establishments statewide.
AMARILLO, Texas —
A licensed psychiatrist from San Angelo, Texas, Robert Hadley Gross, 58, pleaded guilty last week to one count of health care fraud stemming from a scheme he ran to defraud Medicare and Medicaid by submitting claims for services not rendered in the manner billed, including submitting claims for services allegedly rendered after patients’ deaths. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Gross faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, according to the plea agreement filed in the case, he agrees to pay $1,832,869 in restitution to the U.S., representing all overpayments made to Gross from health care providers during the scheme. Gross has been in federal custody since his arrest in mid-October 2014 on related charges outlined in a federal indictment.
According to documents filed in the case, beginning in January 2009 and continuing until approximately June 20, 2014, Gross filed, and caused to be filed, claims against Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurance carriers, for payment for services that were never rendered and services that were billed using inappropriate CPT codes.
Gross regularly submitted claims for services rendered to nursing home residents in and around San Angelo and he also regularly submitted claims for services provided to clients of mental health and mental retardation (MHMR) organizations in San Angelo, Midland, and Abilene, Texas, in addition to claims for services provided to foster care children in Brownwood, Texas.
As part of his scheme, Gross filed claims against Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurance carriers for services for nursing home patients on dates he did not actually render services to patients. In those instances, the patients may have died or been discharged before Gross allegedly visited them in the nursing home.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Office of the Texas Attorney General are investigating. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Cruce-Haag and Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams are prosecuting. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Fahey is handling the forfeiture.
PROSPER, Texas (AP) —
A North Texas teacher said Friday that she was improperly reprimanded after reporting another teacher had allegedly made sexual advances toward a student.
MariBeth Thomas was criticized by the principal for reporting the incident to city police rather than to the school system's police, the Dallas Morning News reports (http://bit.ly/1jjuLhw ), citing a recording of a meeting shared with the newspaper.
"I'm all about PR and how this high school looks, and we're going to take care of this young lady, and we're going to do it in a confidential manner to protect her, to protect all parties that are involved," Prosper High School Principal Greg Wright said in the recording.
Thomas told school officials a student told her another teacher sat close to her and touched her leg during a tutoring session.
After three other students left, the educator moved his chair next to the girl and told the student in a soft voice, "I like you," according to the recording.
Thomas told the teachers that the girl said she felt his finger on her leg and she left.
Thomas' attorneys allege the school district violated a state law meant to protect those who report allegations of abuse. They have called for an independent investigation into the March meeting.
Thomas' attorneys, Debbie Sanchez and Victoria Neave, say Prosper Independent School District has created confusion and fear for other teachers who are legally obligated to report similar allegations.
"What Prosper ISD has essentially done has a chilling effect for teachers to report outcries of abuse in the future," said Neave.
School officials told the newspaper that they did nothing wrong.
"Was it an uncomfortable meeting? Absolutely. Was she reprimanded? No," said Michael Goddard, the district's assistant superintendent.
Thomas, 44, resigned as a health science technology teacher after three years with the school district.
AMARILLO, Texas (AP) —
Two Amarillo men face up to life in prison after being caught with more than 80 pounds of liquid methamphetamine smuggled in the gas tank of an SUV.
Officials say 42-year-old Richard Madrigal and 37-year-old Damian Erik Alcala pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Both remain in custody pending sentencing by a federal judge in Amarillo. The pair could each be fined $10 million.
Law officers learned that an SUV, registered in Chihuahua, Mexico, would be arriving from El Paso. Federal prosecutors say Madrigal on July 17 drove the SUV to home in Amarillo. Alcala arrived by car.
A search led to discovery of crystal meth in the kitchen and two pistols. Authorities say the SUV's fuel tank yielded 84 pounds of liquid methamphetamine.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) —
GOP presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina has escaped injury when a backdrop of curtains collapsed on her as she appeared in San Antonio.
Fiorina continued her speech Sunday following the accident during the National Association of Women Business Owners convention.
Fiorina was on stage at a podium when the towering backdrop, made up of sections of curtains with metal at the top, crashed down around her. Security personnel rushed to make sure nobody was hurt.
The accident happened at the Marriott Rivercenter hotel in San Antonio. Fiorina resumed her speech shortly after the incident.
A message left with the hotel was not immediately returned Monday.
