A mother in Texas is facing murder charges after she shot four of her children, resulting in the death of two of them.
Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman announced on Sunday, October 5, that the 31-year-old mother, Oninda Romelus, was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to ABC 13. She is being held on a $14 million bond, according to CBS News.
Her 13-year-old and 4-year-old were fatally shot inside a vehicle on Saturday, October 4, while her 8-year-old and 9-year-old children are in “stable condition” after they were flown by a medical helicopter to a hospital in Houston.
“Deputies immediately began providing lifesaving aid to the children until medical personnel arrived,” Stallman explained, per People. “The quick actions of responding deputies are believed to have saved at least one child’s life.”
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Stallman said that the mother called 911 to alert authorities after the shooting and they recovered a weapon at the scene.
“It is impossible to make sense of a senseless tragedy like this, but we will do everything we can to seek justice for these children,” Stallman told reporters.
The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office said there is evidence showing that the shooting took place in the car that Romelus was driving, per ABC 13. Meanwhile, CBS News reported that the shooting occurred in Angleton, which is located about 45 miles south of Houston. Romelus is a resident of Montgomery County.
Local outlet Click 2 Houston reported that deputies were initially called to a gas station, where Romelus had stopped. However, police confirmed that the shooting did not take place at the gas station.
Additionally, authorities said they were not initially aware they were reporting to a shooting.
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“Investigators are collecting evidence and working to determine exactly what happened. All individuals believed to be involved have been detained, and there is no ongoing threat to the community,” the sheriff’s office said, per People.
Also during the press conference, Stallman said that the “tragedy has shaken our community, and we are all feeling the loss.”
“I’m proud of the deputies whose quick response made a difference, and I want to thank the people of Brazoria County and surrounding areas for their prayers and support for these children and our first responders,” he added.
