Woman and children living at a SE Houston homeless encampment given place to stay, city says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The women and three young children Eyewitness News found living at a homeless encampment on Thursday have now been given a place to stay.

The City of Houston said HPD and the Precinct 2 Constable's Office visited the campsite on Sabo near Fuqua on Friday morning and took the family to a hospital to be checked out.

Precinct 2 said a partner agency provided them with emergency housing and food, and that CPS is working with the mother on a long-term solution.

Before the city confirmed the development late Friday, multiple people had stopped by the encampment to offer assistance.

Kenneth Gloud came to deliver food after seeing Thursday's Eyewitness News report.

SEE PREVIOUS STORY: Neighbors say they're horrified to find 3 children at homeless encampment in southeast Houston

"It's a lady and kids, man. She has no help. She needs some help," Gloud said.

A staffer from Covenant House, which runs a shelter for homeless youth, also stopped by the campsite on Friday afternoon. But by then, the family had already been relocated.

When Eyewitness News contacted HPD and Precinct 2 on Thursday, both agencies said they hadn't gotten any calls about the family.

Neighbors insisted they did call, but that nothing ever came of it.

"I'm totally grateful for what Channel 13 and you have done, Luke, in covering the story and all the people that have shown up and that are reaching out," Ray Soto, who lives in the area, said.

While resources exist for families who've fallen on hard times, Soto believes many are too afraid to take advantage of them.

"I think in that situation, people are afraid of losing their kids because they don't have a home to go to, so that fear needs to be removed," Soto said.

The city said the campsite will be removed sometime next week.