HPD investigating death of 1-year-old girl, found burned in oven

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Little J'Zyra Thompson, just 19 months old, was already dead when Houston police showed up at the apartment she shared with her three siblings, their mom, and the mom's boyfriend. The apartment is on the 8700 block of Sterlingshire in northeast Houston.

The children's grandmother, who spoke to Eyewitness News off-camera, said they were left home alone by couple last night. She said when police arrived, the toddler was found burned, in the oven.

"It's very heartbreaking, very, very heartbreaking," said neighbor Serenity Humphries, who has four kids of her own. She says she can't imagine leaving them home.

"It's something I absolutely would not do, wouldn't," said Humphries. "They're already at that age where they get into a lot of stuff anyways."

Late Tuesday morning, another woman who identified herself as another grandmother came to the couple's defense. "All I can tell you is they're good people. They keep their kids together so I don't know what happened. I don't have no idea," said Gina Dennis.

The grandmother who lives in the complex says she doesn't know why the couple didn't tell anyone the kids were home alone. She says she was home and would have gladly gone over to the other apartment and watched the children if her son and girlfriend wanted to go out.

Other neighbors say it's not the first time they've seen the kids without adult supervision.

"She leaves her kids by themselves all the time, when she goes to work," said Miranda O'Neill Johnson.

Child Protective Services and Houston Police investigators visited the apartment Tuesday afternoon, but so far, have not charged anyone with a crime. Neighbors say, they've made up their minds.

"It's not responsible, it's not responsible at all," said a neighbor named Kim.