In a distressing incident unfolding in a Houston apartment, three individuals have been apprehended and charged with heinous acts of abuse against a 2-year-old girl. The accused, identified as Kenry Flukers (23), Toniesha Perkins (27), and Mya Breaux-McGruder (17), are facing charges of injury to a child and unlawful restraint of a minor, as indicated by court records.
The shocking allegations involve the perpetrators duct-taping the child's ankles, subjecting her to starvation, and inflicting severe abuse that resulted in multiple injuries to her internal organs. The extent of the cruelty perpetrated against the innocent toddler is horrific.
The disturbing incident came to light when maintenance workers, attending to a dishwasher repair in Perkins' apartment on November 28, were startled by the cries of the toddler emanating from the living room. Upon investigation, they discovered the child covered in a blanket with her feet securely tied up. Disturbed by the appalling scene, the workers documented the situation by capturing both a photograph and a video before promptly reporting the incident to the Houston police.
According to the compaint, two days following the disturbing discovery, a caseworker from Child Protective Services visited the apartment. Toniesha Perkins, one of the prime suspects, shifted blame onto the four other children cohabiting in the unit, alleging that they were responsible for tying up the toddler. Perkins went on to explain to the caseworker that the children in the household regularly engage in tying each other up, further asserting that the 2-year-old victim is her cousin.
Despite the apparent well-being of the other children in the residence, the caseworker observed signs of malnourishment in the 2-year-old girl, as detailed in court records.
Subsequent medical examinations at Texas Children's Hospital revealed a distressing array of health issues, including acute kidney injury, head trauma, anemia, malnourishment, and multiple hemorrhages. Additionally, the child exhibited bradycardia, indicating a slow heart rate, further intensifying concerns about her overall health and well-being. Medical professionals, in their assessment detailed in court records, expressed grave concerns about the 2-year-old girl's health. They indicated that her kidney injury and anemia were likely a result of dehydration. Additionally, they suggested that the head trauma the child suffered might be attributed to shaking.
Upon her arrival at the hospital, the girl's weight was equivalent to that of a 1-year-old, as revealed by court documents. One of the attending doctors disclosed to the police that the toddler's chances of survival through the night were perilously low had she not been promptly hospitalized. Further examinations by medical experts indicated that some of the injuries had occurred a week or two before her admission.
Detectives investigating the case uncovered that Kenry Flukers was Toniesha Perkins' boyfriend, and he had been residing with her since September, according to court records. Flukers admitted to the police that the girl appeared "small," with visible ribs, but he claimed not to have seen her duct-taped around her ankles, only around her hands. He explained that Perkins allegedly used duct tape on the girl's hands to prevent her from accessing the refrigerator, trash can, and pantry.
When questioned about the identity of the abuser, Flukers asserted his ignorance, suggesting that it could have been either Perkins or Mya Breaux-McGruder, as alleged in court documents.
Breaux-McGruder, later identified as the girl's aunt, was interviewed by a detective on December 1, as per court records. Initially denying any knowledge of the duct-taping, her story changed after being informed of the maintenance workers' incriminating photo. She then admitted to being present during the work order, stating that she covered the toddler because a maintenance worker was looking at her "funny." Breaux-McGruder confessed to removing the duct tape once the workers departed.
Detectives also spoke with two 6 year-old children that live in the household, who disclosed that the abused girl slept on the floor and regularly removed tape from her arms, legs, and mouth, as documented in court records. They accused Breaux-McGruder of disciplining the girl when she removed the tape. Another child reported the existence of a fridge lock to prevent the girl from accessing food.
Court documents show that during a recent interview conducted by the Houston Police Department, D.B., the mother of the two-year-old girl, disclosed that she currently resides in a different state and had placed her child in the care of Perkins. To support her statement, she handed over a collection of text message exchanges between herself and one of the defendants to law enforcement authorities.
Flukers and Perkins are currently held in custody with bonds set at $125,000, while Breaux-McGruder is incarcerated with an unspecified bond amount, as indicated in the records. This appalling act of cruelty serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of children in abusive environments. Detailed case information can be found on the Harris County District Clerk website, using case # 185111101010 - The State of Texas vs. FLUKERS, KENRY JOSEPH.