A devastating discovery inside a Houston hotel has left an entire community in shock — a mother and her two young children were found dead inside a room that had been undisturbed for nearly three days.
Houston Police Department Lt. Larry Crowson confirmed Friday that officers responded to a Marriott Residence Inn in southwest Houston after hotel staff grew concerned. A guest had checked in on Wednesday and had not been seen or heard from since.
When staff members entered the room to conduct a welfare check, they made a grim discovery: a 40-year-old woman dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, along with a 6-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy, both killed by gunshot wounds.
“Right now, preliminarily, we believe this to be a murder-suicide,” Lt. Crowson stated. “This does appear to involve mental health issues.”
Investigators believe the shooting did not occur on Friday, though the exact timeline has not yet been confirmed. The identities of the mother and her children have not been released by officials.
The ages of the victims — 6 and 9 years old — have made this case particularly heartbreaking for first responders and residents across Houston. Lt. Crowson called it a “very tragic incident,” adding that two children had lost their lives “at a very young age.”
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding what led to this tragedy. No foul play from an outside party is suspected at this time.
Lt. Crowson used the opportunity to urge anyone in the Houston area struggling with mental health challenges to seek help immediately.
“Call 311 or 211,” he said. “Help is available.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.
