A Tomball-area father is facing a child endangerment charge after deputies say he kicked his two children, ages 6 and 11, out of their apartment and left them to fend for themselves in the afternoon heat. Neighbors at the Everlee apartment complex on the 23900 block of Kuykendahl Road spotted the kids walking alone and barefoot, then called for help. Deputies arrived, found the children, and released them to a guardian while they detained the father on scene.
Constable Mark Herman did not mince words in a Facebook post about the case, writing, "No child should ever be forced to endure dangerous conditions, especially in the extreme Texas heat. The actions of this father placed these children at serious risk," according to Harris County Constable Precinct 4. The constable's office shared a brief rundown of the call and the deputies' response in that post.
According to the same post from Harris County Constable Precinct 4, a concerned citizen reported the two children walking without shoes on June 22. Deputies tracked down the father, identified as Brandon Atkinson, born December 8, 1985, and say he showed multiple signs of intoxication. He was arrested, booked into the Harris County Jail, and charged with child endangerment. Bond in the case, which is filed in the 263rd District Court, had not yet been set at the time of the post. Child Protective Services was notified, and deputies released the children to a guardian at the scene.
Heat Made the Call Even Riskier
Local forecasts showed the heat index climbing above 100°F on Monday, the kind of swelter meteorologists warn can push people toward heat-related illness if they stay outside too long. FOX 26 Houston reported those high heat-index readings for the area that day. Young children are especially vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and The CDC notes that kids' bodies do not adjust to extreme temperatures as quickly as adults', which is why health officials urge extra caution for them in hot weather.
What the Child Endangerment Charge Covers
Deputies say Atkinson is charged with child endangerment, a crime addressed in Texas law under the umbrella of abandoning or endangering a child. The offense falls under Penal Code section 22.041, which can be filed as a state-jail felony or elevated to a more serious felony if a child's life or health is placed in imminent danger, according to the statute's text on the state law site. Texas Penal Code §22.041 spells out how those crimes are defined and punished.
Authorities have not released any further updates on the children's condition beyond the fact that they were turned over to a guardian at the scene. Anyone who has information about the incident can contact local law enforcement or report concerns to the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400. The hotline, run by the Department of Family and Protective Services, also accepts online reports through the state site at Texas Abuse Hotline / DFPS.
