On Thursday, just before 7 p.m., Houston police say 60-year-old Daniel Ruiz crashed a Toyota 4Runner into a stopped tow truck on the southbound feeder road of the Gulf Freeway near Clear Lake City Boulevard.
Investigators said sitting in the passenger seat of Ruiz's vehicle was a 5-year-old girl, who wasn't properly restrained.
The child was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to police. Ruiz was taken to the Harris County jail, where court records show he is now charged with manslaughter in the death of the child.
This isn't Ruiz's first time behind bars. He's currently serving four years of deferred adjudication, a type of probation, after a December 2024 incident in which court records show he pleaded guilty to leaving a 4-year-old child in a car alone.
The Harris County Constable Precinct 4's Office, which arrested Ruiz back in 2024, said he was the child's father.
According to court records, Ruiz was drinking and gambling, and that the car was not on.
Ruiz was ordered to take parenting classes as part of his plea agreement. He was given a $150,000 bond and ordered to wear a GPS monitor if he can post it.
At this time, ABC13 does not know the relationship between Ruiz and the 5-year-old girl.