HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A 40-year-old Harris County man now faces criminal charges after two young children were found walking barefoot and unsupervised through an apartment complex during dangerously high temperatures, prompting a swift response from law enforcement and raising serious questions about the children’s safety.
Deputies from Constable Mark Herman’s Office responded on June 22 to the Everlee Apartments located in the 23900 block of Kuykendahl Road following a welfare check call from a concerned citizen in the area. The caller had spotted two children, ages 6 and 11, wandering alone through the complex without shoes in extreme Texas heat.
Upon arrival, investigators began piecing together what had happened. Deputies determined that the children’s father, Brandon Atkinson, had allegedly forced both children out of the apartment roughly two hours before deputies arrived, reportedly after becoming upset with them. While the children remained outside exposed to the dangerous heat, Atkinson stayed inside the residence.
When deputies made contact with Atkinson, they observed multiple visible signs of intoxication, according to investigators on scene.
Both children were located safely and released to a guardian present at the scene. Child Protective Services was immediately notified and briefed on the full circumstances of the incident.
Atkinson was taken into custody and booked into the Harris County Jail on a charge of Child Endangerment. Bond had not yet been set by the 263rd District Court at the time of the report.
Constable Mark Herman credited the alert citizen whose quick call to authorities likely prevented a far more serious outcome.
“No child should ever be forced to endure dangerous conditions, especially in the extreme Texas heat,” Herman stated. “Thanks to a vigilant citizen who saw something and said something, these children were located and placed in a safe environment.”
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to examine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
