What accused cop killer's mother said to ABC13 before his arrest
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The mother of the man accused of killing a Nassau Bay police sergeant blames fear for causing her son to flee the scene of a traffic stop.
Tiffany Henderson spoke exclusively to Eyewitness News before 21-year-old Tavores D. Henderson was arrested.
"That's my child. I know my child. My child is not a murderer," Henderson said.
The mother said she was on the phone with Tavores the night Nassau Bay police sergeant Kaila Sullivan pulled him over.
"They're saying step out the car, we have a warrant," Henderson said. "And my son is asking 'Why? What did I do wrong?"
Henderson said the call was disconnected at that point, but Tavores called her back a short time later.
"He said, 'Hey mama, where are you? What's going on? I ran," Tiffany said.
For the time Tavores was on the run, Tiffany said she didn't know her son's whereabouts. Authorities initially believed he may have hid at her house and conducted a search of the location on Wednesday.
After the interview and Tavores' capture, authorities announced that Henderson and her boyfriend face charges in the case.
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"She and the boyfriend took him from a location close to the scene to a hotel where he spent the night," Harris County District Attorney's Office Chief of Vehicular Crimes Sean Teare said. "She then went to her home and came into contact with sheriff's deputies immediately when she arrived at her house. She initially told them she didn't even know who Mr. Henderson was."
Tiffany is charged with hindering apprehension in the case and authorities believe she lied to deputies during their investigation.
Despite the death of Sgt. Sullivan, Henderson said her son is not capable of killing anyone.
"They don't know him," she said. "They don't know who he is and what he's been through."
Before Tavores was taken into custody Thursday afternoon, the mom said she wanted her son to turn himself in because she feared for his safety. She was also remorseful for what happened.
"My apologies to the family," she said. "My condolences to the family."
