Houston mom allegedly hit her children and kept them in filthy conditions at NW Houston apartment

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston mother is in jail after being accused of beating and shaking her own kids. Investigators say Markita Phearse kept her two young kids in filthy conditions and hit them numerous times.

During Phearse's probable cause court hearing, a magistrate judge laid out the allegations against her.

The Houston Police Department arrested her at her apartment on West Montgomery Road in northwest Houston. They say she hit her 4-year-old daughter in the head several times, shook her, and also hit her 6-year-old son. Both children had to be treated at the hospital.

"Law enforcement officers and medical personnel observed personal injuries on both children," the magistrate read out. "The children, according to law enforcement officer, were left home alone. They had not eaten or had anything to drink for approximately two days."

Neighbors told ABC13 that while they occasionally saw Phearse in the complex, they rarely saw her children outside the apartment. But they did see police officers arrive several days ago to take Phearase away.

Court records show while law enforcement was on the scene, Phearse allegedly yelled at her children not to say anything to the law enforcement officers.

Besides the kids' physical injuries, investigators say Phearse raised her kids in terrible conditions, and they never went to school.

"A law enforcement officer noticed, among other things, in your apartment, you had holes in the wall, water on the floor, and trash was scattered," read the magistrate. "Your son also informed the officer he had never been enrolled in school."

Child Protective Services says it can't say whether it investigated Phearse before, but they are investigating her now.

As for the children, after being treated at the hospital, they are now at the home of relatives. The kids are not in CPS custody.

The bond for Phearse is set at $10,000 per charge.

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