Officers: Burglary suspects bring baby along for break-in

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A 14-month-old baby is safe, after his parents allegedly brought him along as they tried to break into cars Tuesday morning.

It all happened because Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's office had an undercover officer at a park in the 12100 block of Riceville School Road in southwest Houston. As the undercover officer was inside his car, the suspects approached his car and tried to break in. After failing to get in, they moved on to another car, and the deputies followed.

The second time, they smashed the glass of Cecilia Roagsdale's SUV, and took a purse. What no one knew at the time was that Roagsdale's purse had $2,500 inside.

"The money is church money," said Roagsdale, who serves as the church's treasurer. "They give to me to go and deposit it."

Before going to the bank, Roagsdale, a nurse, met up with a co-worker at the local park to get some exercise, and that's where the break-in happened.

Precinct 5 stopped the couple a few blocks away. They pulled over Randy Hammond and Tisha Johnwell. To everyone's surprise, their baby, London, was in the back seat.

"Why would you try to break into cars with your baby in the car?" Eyewitness News asked a handcuffed Johnwell after she was arrested. "That wasn't the intention when I came up here," she said. "He just did on his own when he seen it," motioning to her boyfriend, Hammond.

Deputies turned over the 14-month-old to the toddler's grandmother. She was reluctant to pick up the baby in front of our cameras, and wouldn't answer questions as to why her daughter may be involved in breaking into cars.

Deputies say they male suspect also had a gun in his waistband. They say the entire incident could have ended in a vastly different way.

"With a suspect with a gun, there could have been a chase, a baby in the car, could have turned out real bad situation," said Lt. Frank Briscoe of Precinct 5 Constable's Office.

Before heading off to jail, the young mother Johnwell got an earful from her alleged victim.

"This is not a good route for you. You have a little child," admonished Roagsdale. "What will you tell that child tomorrow?"

Tisha S. Johnwell, 22, is charged with burglary of a motor vehicle. Randy Hammond, 22, is charged with burglary of a motor vehicle and unlawfully carrying a weapon. Baby London is with relatives tonight.