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Grandfather accused of leaving 5 kids home alone with no food, AC in 2023 gets deferred adjudication for 3 years

Kevin Turner, 53 (Constable Mark Herman's Office)

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A grandfather who was accused of leaving his five grandchildren home alone without food or running air conditioning amid hot temperatures in 2023 was granted deferred adjudication for three years on Friday.

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Kevin Turner was charged with one count of endangering a child for the June 2023 incident.

According to court documents, the decision was part of a plea agreement with the state. As part of the agreement, Turner was ruled ineligible to possess a firearm.

It happened at a home on Rolling Creek Drive near Spring. A woman called 911 with concerns about the kids’ welfare.

All five children were between the ages of 9 and 16.

“A couple of them went to a local food store and were caught stealing food inside the food store,” Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said.

The children were estimated to have been alone for 24 hours. They appeared to feel unwell and deputies didn’t observe food or running air conditioning, Herman said.

“They were forbidden from running the air conditioning unless the grandfather was there,” he said. “The house is infested with roaches and just total trashy inside.”

Their grandfather, Turner, had custody of the children. He showed up at the home amid the investigation as deputies were talking to prosecutors about potential charges. Herman said they were instructed to take him into custody at that time based on the evidence.

Medics took the kids to Texas Children’s Hospital in The Woodlands where they were evaluated and treated by doctors.


About the Author

Christian Terry covered digital news in Tyler and Wichita Falls before returning to the Houston area where he grew up. He is passionate about weather and the outdoors and often spends his days off on the water fishing.

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