Single mom nearly evicted from apartment over son's mistake

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Claudia Rodriguez, her 10-year-old son, Steven, and her four-year-old daughter, Sophia, have been living at The Reserve at Windward Lakes for nearly a year. Rodriguez is a single mom who spends her days working, ferrying her kids to school and caring for Steven, who is currently in remission from leukemia. And now, apartment management nearly forced them to leave.

"We're not bad people," Claudia said, "and to be in the same category as a criminal is just insane."

Last month, Steven stole two five pound weights from their apartment gym and brought them back to their apartment.

"He's like, 'Look, mom! I brought you some weights from the gym because I know you like to work out and you always say that you don't have any." I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, you're on camera,'" Claudia explained.

Claudia says she planned on returning the weights the next day. But she goes to work at 5am. By noon, she says apartment management sent her a notice to vacate.

Steven had been caught on surveillance video stealing the weights.

"We were going to put them back. He doesn't understand the concept," Claudia said. "Yes, rules are rules. I get it. But it also was a 10-year-old and they were visible to anybody that would've come to our apartment."

Apartment management confirms they asked the Rodriguez family to leave. Manager Cliff Koterwas said the apartment takes all thefts seriously and can't make any exceptions. However, they've decided to let this family of three stay in their home, instead of sending them scrambling to find a place to live.

"After reviewing the situation again, we reconsidered," Koterwas said.

The Rodriguez family will be allowed to finish out their lease.