HOUSTON -- Police in Houston said a one-year-old girl left home alone with her five young siblings has died after her body was found in the oven of a Houston apartment.
Police said when they arrived to the home Monday night, they found 19-month-old J'zyra Thompson already dead.
Gina Dennis, the one-year-old’s grandmother, told KTRK Tuesday she is going through a whirlwind of emotions.
Gina Dennis
Dennis said she is still trying to figure out why her grandkids were left home alone, and she's confused as to how her youngest grandbaby was burned to death.
Dennis told KTRK when police arrived, the child was found severely burned, in the oven.
“All I can tell you is they're good people they keep their kids together, so I don't know what happened,” Dennis said. “I don't have no idea.”
The apartment where the child's body was discovered.
Police said the one-year-old was home alone with her four older siblings, all under the age of five, when the unthinkable happened. Police said the children's mother was out with her boyfriend.
According to KTRK, court records state that the two children home alone told investigators that one of them put their baby sister in the oven and that the other child turned it on.
Additionally, those documents state the children told CPS workers the baby was kicking at the oven door when they made the oven "hot."
Police said the children's mother was out with her boyfriend at the time, but once she returned home, those same court documents state she tried to perform CPR on her baby, but it was too late,
Neighbors said it is not uncommon to see the toddler and her siblings unsupervised.
“She leaves her kids by themselves all the time when she goes to work,” neighbor Miranda O'Neill Johnson said.
The tragedy left another neighbor stunned and heartbroken.
“It's something I absolutely would not do, I wouldn't,” Serenity Humphries said. “They're already at that age where they get into a lot of stuff anyways.”
Apartment building in the 8700 Sterlingshire Street.
Officers first on scene said the mother told them she was at work during the accident that claimed her baby's life.
A CPS spokesperson said they have a history with the family, but would not elaborate.
Relatives said the mother is expecting another child soon. At last check, authorities have not filed any charges, but she was expected in court for the custody hearing.
