This story is on-going (Brian Coulter and Gloria Williams have been charged) as of this writing. So at the moment I only have links to the story. I may or may not have a full post as more details unfold.
Updates below in the "UPDATES SECTION":
9-year-old has been dead inside SW Houston apartment for a year, 3 other kids were abandoned: HCSO - by Brooke Taylor for ABC Eyewitness News (Houston, Texas)Updates below in the "UPDATES SECTION":
LINKS TO POSTS ON THE CASE
Three starving children, 7, 10, and 15, are found locked inside Houston apartment next to the decomposing remains of their 9-year-old brother who had been dead for a YEAR - by Andrea Blanco for Daily Mail
Child whose skeletal remains were found in Houston apartment killed by 'homicidal violence' medical examiner says - by Andy Rose, Jennifer Henderson, Ralph Ellis and Raja Razek for CNN
$1M bond set for man accused of killing girlfriend's 8-year-old son; suspect in custody at mental health facility - by Michelle Homer, Chloe Alexander for KHOU-11
Mother's boyfriend charged with murder after 8-year-old boy's remains found with abandoned siblings (The child's mother and her boyfriend were charged in connection with the case.) - by Emily Shapiro for ABC News
Timeline: What we know so far about murder of 8-year-old Kendrick Lee - by by Miya Shay for ABC News
excerpt:
"Its horrific but unfortunately not terribly uncommon," said former juvenile judge Mike Schneider, who oversaw thousands of cases during his time on the bench. "When you have unrelated males in the same home as children, the chance of one child is being abused just skyrockets," he said, noting that abusers are even more likely to abuse children who are not related to them.
Mother, boyfriend arrested after child's skeletal remains found in Texas apartment
The mother of the 8-year-old who had been dead for a year, and her boyfriend, were charged days after the discovery near Houston Sunday. - by Antonio Planas, Tim Stelloh and Phil Helsel for NBC News
Texas woman whose son’s skeletal remains were found in home still got government help after his death - by the Associated Press for KTLA News
Texas child abuse suspect faces judge for 1st time in bizarre appearance. The judge overseeing Brian Coulter's case recused himself Thursday morning - by Erica Simon for ABC Eyewitness News
House of Horrors Mom Became ‘Somebody Else’ After Meeting Boyfriend, Family Says - by Justin Rohrlich for Daily Beast
Abandoned children case: Social media accounts give inside look into mother, her boyfriend - by Lauren Talarico for KHOU
Houston Mother Lived with Boy's Remains for Months After Murder, Then Abandoned Children: Prosecutors - by Harriet Sokmensuer for People Magazine
$1M bond set for man accused of killing girlfriend's 8-year-old son; suspect in custody at mental health facility - by Michelle Homer, Chloe Alexander for KHOU-11
Mother's boyfriend charged with murder after 8-year-old boy's remains found with abandoned siblings (The child's mother and her boyfriend were charged in connection with the case.) - by Emily Shapiro for ABC News
excerpt:
"Its horrific but unfortunately not terribly uncommon," said former juvenile judge Mike Schneider, who oversaw thousands of cases during his time on the bench. "When you have unrelated males in the same home as children, the chance of one child is being abused just skyrockets," he said, noting that abusers are even more likely to abuse children who are not related to them.
The mother of the 8-year-old who had been dead for a year, and her boyfriend, were charged days after the discovery near Houston Sunday. - by Antonio Planas, Tim Stelloh and Phil Helsel for NBC News
Boyfriend charged with murder of young boy in disturbing Houston horror house case - by Kenneth Garger for New York Post
Judge raises total bond of Texas mom accused of abandoning kids with son's corpse to $1.5 million. Earlier this week, a judge called her bond "insufficient," and on Friday, prosecutors argued for a higher bond. - by Miya Shay and Charly Edsitty for ABC Eyewitness News
Texas child abuse suspect faces judge for 1st time in bizarre appearance. The judge overseeing Brian Coulter's case recused himself Thursday morning - by Erica Simon for ABC Eyewitness News
Abandoned children case: Social media accounts give inside look into mother, her boyfriend - by Lauren Talarico for KHOU
Houston Mother Lived with Boy's Remains for Months After Murder, Then Abandoned Children: Prosecutors - by Harriet Sokmensuer for People Magazine
Brothers describe 8-year-old boy's beating death in their family home in new court details (Investigators believe the 8-year-old was beaten to death sometime between Nov. 20 and Nov. 29, 2020.) - by Erica Simon for ABC Eyewitness News (Chicago)
Texas child abuse suspect faces judge for 1st time in bizarre appearance (The judge overseeing Brian Coulter's case recused himself Thursday morning) - by Erica Simon for ABC Eyewitness News (Chicago)
Kendrick Lee, child whose body was found in apartment 1 year after murder, laid to rest
Kendrick Lee's mother, Gloria Williams, and her boyfriend, Brian Coulter, have been charged in his death - by Erica Simon for ABC Eyewitness News (Chicago)
Inside the Houston area’s violent year: 12 stories offer a glimpse into trauma, loss experienced in our area in 2021 - by Briana Zemora-Nipper for Click2Houston
Investigations: Abandoned (The Story of a Struggling Mom, Her Violent Boyfriend and 3 Kids Deserted with Their Brother's Body - The Houston Chronicle
SICK CELEBRATIONS (Brian Coulter lavished Gloria Williams with gifts after ‘kicking son, 8, to death’ & leaving body with hungry siblings) - by Christopher Eberhart for the U.S. Sun
excerpt:
... After the alleged murder, couple abandoned Williams' three other children in the Harris County, Texas home to "fend for themselves," police said.
Meanwhile, the couple went about their lives like nothing was wrong.
On each of their Instagram accounts, they showed off their Valentine's Day gifts, which included nearly dozen items of Zales jewellery.
Williams wrote in the caption, "My husband bought this for me for valentines day i love him very much everything is real." ...
Texas child abuse suspect faces judge for 1st time in bizarre appearance (The judge overseeing Brian Coulter's case recused himself Thursday morning) - by Erica Simon for ABC Eyewitness News (Chicago)
Kendrick Lee, child whose body was found in apartment 1 year after murder, laid to rest
Kendrick Lee's mother, Gloria Williams, and her boyfriend, Brian Coulter, have been charged in his death - by Erica Simon for ABC Eyewitness News (Chicago)
Inside the Houston area’s violent year: 12 stories offer a glimpse into trauma, loss experienced in our area in 2021 - by Briana Zemora-Nipper for Click2Houston
Investigations: Abandoned (The Story of a Struggling Mom, Her Violent Boyfriend and 3 Kids Deserted with Their Brother's Body - The Houston Chronicle
Houston Investigators Hope to Find Justice After Kids Found with Brother’s Remains - by Michael Gibson for KNUE
Texas Man Indicted After Allegedly Murdering Girlfriend’s 8-Year-Old Son, Abandoning His Skeletal Remains and Three Surviving Kids in Houston Apartment - by Jerry Lambe for Law and Crime
excerpt:
... Williams allegedly knew that Kendrick was dead in November 2020 but never stepped forward to tell authorities the truth because Coulter told her not to and because she feared going to prison and losing her remaining kids to child protective services, authorities said according to a report from Chicago ABC affiliate WLS-TV.
All three of the abandoned children, whose names have not been reported because they are juveniles, were also allegedly subjected to physical abuse. One of the kids reportedly required facial reconstructive surgery after being found by authorities, according to a report from The Houston Chronicle.
Per KTRK, ADA Beall said that all three of the surviving children have since been placed in foster care and are being kept together. ...
'Fear in their eyes': Texas investigators describe conditions in which 8-year-old's remains found
Gloria Williams and Brian Coulter indicted - by Brooke Taylor for ABC 7 Chicago News
excerpt:
... Deputy Corey Castro, with the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit, conducted the scene investigation inside the second-floor apartment.
"It was a very distinct smell," Castro said. "There was no furniture, there was no lights, electricity. There were roaches everywhere. These children had no beds to sleep on. They barely had anything to cover up with." ...
... "The main thing that got me was the position the child died in," Castro said. "Without going into too much positioning, I would say laying down in a certain position, and we have to be careful because of the integrity of this case." ...
... Deputy John Craig, also with the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit, is the lead investigator.
"Being a father myself, it's difficult children can be treated like this -- that they are put in such humiliating circumstances. They have to fend for themselves," Craig said. "There is no one to help them if one of them gets hurt. It's heartbreaking someone can do this to a child. The child is the most innocent victim." ...
... Later, investigators found the couple was living in a separate apartment 25 minutes away. The boys said Williams and Coulter would go back every few weeks to drop off some food, but that during those trips, Coulter would come back to beat them, then leave. ...
... Their injuries were so bad and left untreated that one of the boys needed to have surgery on his jaw. ...
... The boys were forbidden from leaving their apartment. Neighbors told ABC Houston affiliate KTRK back in October, the oldest brother would leave the apartment occasionally to ask them for food. But, neighbors said he would not say much, and they had no idea that food was also feeding two other boys inside the apartment.
Texas Man Indicted After Allegedly Murdering Girlfriend’s 8-Year-Old Son, Abandoning His Skeletal Remains and Three Surviving Kids in Houston Apartment - by Jerry Lambe for Law and Crime
excerpt:
... Williams allegedly knew that Kendrick was dead in November 2020 but never stepped forward to tell authorities the truth because Coulter told her not to and because she feared going to prison and losing her remaining kids to child protective services, authorities said according to a report from Chicago ABC affiliate WLS-TV.
All three of the abandoned children, whose names have not been reported because they are juveniles, were also allegedly subjected to physical abuse. One of the kids reportedly required facial reconstructive surgery after being found by authorities, according to a report from The Houston Chronicle.
Per KTRK, ADA Beall said that all three of the surviving children have since been placed in foster care and are being kept together. ...
'Fear in their eyes': Texas investigators describe conditions in which 8-year-old's remains found
Gloria Williams and Brian Coulter indicted - by Brooke Taylor for ABC 7 Chicago News
excerpt:
... Deputy Corey Castro, with the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit, conducted the scene investigation inside the second-floor apartment.
"It was a very distinct smell," Castro said. "There was no furniture, there was no lights, electricity. There were roaches everywhere. These children had no beds to sleep on. They barely had anything to cover up with." ...
... "The main thing that got me was the position the child died in," Castro said. "Without going into too much positioning, I would say laying down in a certain position, and we have to be careful because of the integrity of this case." ...
... Deputy John Craig, also with the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit, is the lead investigator.
"Being a father myself, it's difficult children can be treated like this -- that they are put in such humiliating circumstances. They have to fend for themselves," Craig said. "There is no one to help them if one of them gets hurt. It's heartbreaking someone can do this to a child. The child is the most innocent victim." ...
... Later, investigators found the couple was living in a separate apartment 25 minutes away. The boys said Williams and Coulter would go back every few weeks to drop off some food, but that during those trips, Coulter would come back to beat them, then leave. ...
... Their injuries were so bad and left untreated that one of the boys needed to have surgery on his jaw. ...
... The boys were forbidden from leaving their apartment. Neighbors told ABC Houston affiliate KTRK back in October, the oldest brother would leave the apartment occasionally to ask them for food. But, neighbors said he would not say much, and they had no idea that food was also feeding two other boys inside the apartment.
"You know what happens, you are being abused," Craig said. "You see your brother, what happened to him. He was murdered. So, being at that age, if you are told not to go outside, you are not going to because you know what's going to happen if you do." ...
... Investigators want to know how the alleged abuse went unnoticed for so long. Craig blames COVID-19 because students were virtual. The children had no classroom to go to and no teacher to see what was happening.
"No one was looking at that child that had bruises the next day at school or the kid with the busted lip," Craig said. ...
... Neighbors told KTRK they felt something was off, but never called police.
"As a community, if you see something and it looks awkward to you, say something," Castro said. "That's the biggest takeaway. If you feel something is wrong, say something." ...
... Investigators want to know how the alleged abuse went unnoticed for so long. Craig blames COVID-19 because students were virtual. The children had no classroom to go to and no teacher to see what was happening.
"No one was looking at that child that had bruises the next day at school or the kid with the busted lip," Craig said. ...
... Neighbors told KTRK they felt something was off, but never called police.
"As a community, if you see something and it looks awkward to you, say something," Castro said. "That's the biggest takeaway. If you feel something is wrong, say something." ...
SICK CELEBRATIONS (Brian Coulter lavished Gloria Williams with gifts after ‘kicking son, 8, to death’ & leaving body with hungry siblings) - by Christopher Eberhart for the U.S. Sun
excerpt:
... After the alleged murder, couple abandoned Williams' three other children in the Harris County, Texas home to "fend for themselves," police said.
Meanwhile, the couple went about their lives like nothing was wrong.
On each of their Instagram accounts, they showed off their Valentine's Day gifts, which included nearly dozen items of Zales jewellery.
Williams wrote in the caption, "My husband bought this for me for valentines day i love him very much everything is real." ...
UPDATES
Boys abandoned with brother's corpse in Houston apartment lived in 'filthy, disgusting environment' - by Mycah Hatfield for ABC Eyewitness News, Houston (Dec 2021)
Man accused of leaving boy's body with siblings is indicted on capital murder and abuse charges - by Miya Shay for ABC Eyewitness News, Houston (Jan, 2022)
excerpt:
Earlier Tuesday, Jan. 18 prosecutors presented the case to a Harris County grand jury. They returned with four indictments on Brian Coulter and Gloria Williams.
"Brian Coulter has been indicted for capital murder," said Assistant District Attorney Andrea Beall. "It's the intentional knowing and killing of a child under 10, and Gloria Williams has been indicted on injury to a child, serious bodily injury, and tampering with a corpse, which is a second-degree felony." ...
Mother of abandoned Houston children speaks - by Natalie Dreier and Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk (Fox News added it)
excerpt:
... The two younger children told authorities that they saw Coulter hit and kick Kendrick in the face and other parts of his body, according to court documents, NBC News reported.
excerpt:
Earlier Tuesday, Jan. 18 prosecutors presented the case to a Harris County grand jury. They returned with four indictments on Brian Coulter and Gloria Williams.
"Brian Coulter has been indicted for capital murder," said Assistant District Attorney Andrea Beall. "It's the intentional knowing and killing of a child under 10, and Gloria Williams has been indicted on injury to a child, serious bodily injury, and tampering with a corpse, which is a second-degree felony." ...
Mother of abandoned Houston children speaks - by Natalie Dreier and Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk (Fox News added it)
excerpt:
... The two younger children told authorities that they saw Coulter hit and kick Kendrick in the face and other parts of his body, according to court documents, NBC News reported.
"Brian Coulter continued to stare at (Kendrick) as he kicked him. (The 7-year-old) said (Kendrick's) eyes were black and he stopped blinking during the assault. (The 7-year-old) said they pulled back the covers and saw (Kendrick) was really dead and saw roaches everywhere on him," court records said, according to NBC News. ...
... Family members told authorities that they didn't know that Kendrick had died and that the children were abandoned, KPRC reported.
"The 15-year-old was just absolutely afraid and was basically hoping or relying on his mother to at some point contact law enforcement and advise of his deceased brother in the house," Sgt. Dennis Wollford, supervisor of the homicide unit investigating the case, said Wednesday. "That didn't happen, and I think after a year's time the 15-year-old boy finally said, ‘Enough is enough,' and that's when he decided to contact law enforcement." ...
CPS report sheds light on how system may have failed siblings found abandoned in west Harris County apartment (A new report released by CPS this week details the number of times the agency had involvement with the family of Kendrick Lee, dating back to 2015.) - by Grace White (2022) for KHOU 11 News
Shining a Light on Abuse and Neglect in Homeschooling Environments: Kendrick Lee - the administrators of Homeschooling's Invisible Children
Read about the founders of the site. In short:
The Homeschooling’s Invisible Children project began in May 2013 when Rachel Coleman and Heather Doney, both homeschool alumni who had spent time studying homeschooling at a graduate level, became interested in the ways that homeschooling can be used to conceal and intensify child maltreatment. After learning about the role of popular homeschooling leaders Michael and Debi Pearl and their book To Train Up A Child in the maltreatment deaths of three homeschooled children (Lydia Schatz, Sean Paddock, and Hana Williams), Coleman and Doney began collecting cases of severe abuse and neglect in homeschool settings. Appalled by the scope of the problem they had identified, they soon felt the need for a way to organize and present these cases. ...
... CRHE operates on the principle that homeschooling is a powerful tool in the hands of caregivers. When caring, responsible parents homeschool in an effort to improve the lives and educational outcomes of their children, homeschooling can operate in the best interests of the child. When unscrupulous parents homeschool in an effort to control their children and prevent them from accessing the outside world, homeschooling can be detrimental to a child’s best interests. The current lack of legal oversight of homeschooling enables child maltreatment by allowing abusive parents to isolate their children and control their social interactions, impeding their ability to seek help, tell others of their abuse, or be seen by people who could help them. ...
Recommended (goes deeper into why this crime would have happened): They Left Young Brothers with Dead Child's Corpse for a Year | Gloria Williams & Brian Coulter - Killer Bites (channel dedicated to reporting unusual crimes by a number of reporters) (2023)
CPS report sheds light on how system may have failed siblings found abandoned in west Harris County apartment (A new report released by CPS this week details the number of times the agency had involvement with the family of Kendrick Lee, dating back to 2015.) - by Grace White (2022) for KHOU 11 News
Shining a Light on Abuse and Neglect in Homeschooling Environments: Kendrick Lee - the administrators of Homeschooling's Invisible Children
Read about the founders of the site. In short:
The Homeschooling’s Invisible Children project began in May 2013 when Rachel Coleman and Heather Doney, both homeschool alumni who had spent time studying homeschooling at a graduate level, became interested in the ways that homeschooling can be used to conceal and intensify child maltreatment. After learning about the role of popular homeschooling leaders Michael and Debi Pearl and their book To Train Up A Child in the maltreatment deaths of three homeschooled children (Lydia Schatz, Sean Paddock, and Hana Williams), Coleman and Doney began collecting cases of severe abuse and neglect in homeschool settings. Appalled by the scope of the problem they had identified, they soon felt the need for a way to organize and present these cases. ...
... CRHE operates on the principle that homeschooling is a powerful tool in the hands of caregivers. When caring, responsible parents homeschool in an effort to improve the lives and educational outcomes of their children, homeschooling can operate in the best interests of the child. When unscrupulous parents homeschool in an effort to control their children and prevent them from accessing the outside world, homeschooling can be detrimental to a child’s best interests. The current lack of legal oversight of homeschooling enables child maltreatment by allowing abusive parents to isolate their children and control their social interactions, impeding their ability to seek help, tell others of their abuse, or be seen by people who could help them. ...
Recommended (goes deeper into why this crime would have happened): They Left Young Brothers with Dead Child's Corpse for a Year | Gloria Williams & Brian Coulter - Killer Bites (channel dedicated to reporting unusual crimes by a number of reporters) (2023)
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