HOUSTON – A grandfather is in jail for allegedly leaving his grandchildren alone with no food or air conditioning during a day when temperatures reached 98 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring area.
Kevin Turner, 53, was arrested Monday and charged with endangering the life of a minor.
The Harris County Precinct 4 Police Office reported that the children are ages 9, 12, 13, 13 and 16 years old.
According to details revealed in court, Turner has custody of his daughter’s five children.
Officials said they responded to a call asking for a wellness check to be done at the residence where the children were staying this past June 19 at around 3:54 p.m.
Officers arrived at the home in the 17400 block of Rolling Creek St. and found the children unsupervised and learned that all rooms except Grandpa’s room did not have air conditioning..
In addition, there was no food for the children, the two small refrigerators that they found were closed with padlocks and when they opened them they discovered that they contained food, but apparently only the grandfather had access.
Investigators said the house was in deplorable condition and that cockroaches were everywhere.
Investigators say a Spring man had fridges full of food locked away in his bedroom away from his five grandkids inside the “sweltering” home, according to court documents.
https://t.co/gLCjVh7U30— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) June 21, 2023
In court, the grandfather said that the house was dirty because of the children, who had not cleaned as he ordered. The man also said he had bought the children instant soups on Friday before officers found the children on Monday.
A witness told investigators that one of the 13-year-old boys had run off to steal food from a store.
The children were removed from the residence and turned over to the custody of the Child Protective Services agency.