Family says they feared for 18-month-old's safety before she was killed in driveway accident
Deputies say the mother may dozed off when her boyfriend pulled into a driveway and hit the child who had gotten out of the car.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A mother charged after her 18-month-old daughter was hit and killed in northwest Harris County over the weekend appeared in court Monday.
On Saturday, at about 12:30 p.m., the Harris County Sheriff's Office responded to the 21000 block of Cook Road when the toddler was run over in the driveway of a trailer park.
According to investigators, the 18-month-old girl, who was named Cora, was in a car parked outside a trailer home when her mother, 31-year-old Morgan Ottiger, apparently dozed off.
Deputies said the toddler was able to get out of the car and was in the driveway when the mother's boyfriend, 41-year-old Cameron Link, allegedly pulled into the driveway and hit her. The child was pronounced dead at the scene.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Mom charged with child endangerment after toddler fatally run over by boyfriend, sheriff says
Family members told ABC13 they were afraid of something like this happening.
The toddler's grandparents said they had to intervene in the past with Morgan's three other children.
Morgan's first and third child are in the custody of her father and stepmother, Donna Ottinger. They also briefly cared for Morgan's second child before she went to live with her biological dad. The grandparents are devastated they couldn't save Cora.
Donna was waiting on the day she'd get to meet Cora and was saving gifts for the baby's first birthday.
Cora never got the gifts, and she'll never see another birthday either.
Morgan, who's facing a charge of reckless serious bodily injury to a child, appeared in probable cause court on Monday. She was visibly emotional as the judge talked about the case in court.
Since 2017, court records show Morgan has been arrested and convicted for drug possession six times. Donna says that's why child protective services had to get involved.
Donna says the only way to see Cora was in photos posted to Morgan's Facebook page.
Link has not been charged in this case but was arrested Saturday on open felony warrants. ABC13 spoke to his brother over the weekend. He said he's now raising Link's sons and wishes his brother had made different choices over the years.
"To watch it pop up on the news and all of us as a family look and shocked to see my brother on the news again, and it's not the first time. I don't know. It's heartbreaking. I am so sorry. I wish I could have done something. I reached out to save these boys. I wish I could have done something. Accident or not, a baby is a baby," Elija Coke said.
Authorities said it's possible the mother was under the influence during the incident.
The couple is also accused of delaying calling 911 after the girl was hit.
ABC13 asked CPS whether Morgan and Cora were on their radar. A spokesperson said the law prohibits them from commenting until CPS is officially asked to investigate Cora's death, and that hasn't happened yet.
On Saturday Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare called the tragedy completely preventable. Now it's time to figure if the proper steps were taken to protect this little girl.
