Judge sets $650K bond for daughter accused of stabbing mom to death at NW Houston apartment
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A judge set bond overnight for a woman accused of stabbing her mother to death and severely injuring her aunt.
The stabbing happened around 9 p.m. Monday at the Willow Green Apartment Homes on Willow Place Drive and Misty Willow Drive in northwest Houston. The suspect, 29-year-old Ericka McDonald, is accused of breaking into her mother's apartment before the fatal stabbing.
A judge set McDonald's bond at $650,000; $500,000 for a murder charge and $150,000 for burglary with intent to commit a felony.
Police said McDonald got into an argument with her 51-year-old mother, Terri Mendoza, and her 63-year-old aunt prior to the attack.
Houston police had actually been called out to the apartment earlier in the day for a disturbance call.
Officers attempted to file a child endangerment and assault charge against the then-intoxicated McDonald, but the charges weren't accepted.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office didn't accept the charges due to a lack of evidence at the time.
ORIGINAL STORY: Woman accused of stabbing mother to death after breaking into her NW Houston apartment
Police say they received two calls of service on Monday for the apartment home. One was a disturbance call that came in around 3 p.m., and then a welfare check call came in just 30 minutes later. According to neighbors, McDonald, her children and Mendoza all lived upstairs, but in different apartments.
No more than six hours later, police say McDonald broke in through her mother's window and stabbed her and her aunt, all while neighbors say her kids were present.
A witness who spoke with ABC13 on Tuesday said McDonald could be seen performing CPR on Mendoza moments after the stabbing.
McDonald took off after the attack, according to investigators, but returned to the apartment and told investigators she wasn't involved.
Police said McDonald was wearing a mask during the attack, but the aunt was still able to identify her.
"It's alleged that the defendant was intoxicated, broke into the residence. These are familial members to the defendant. She broke in, stabbed both complainants, ultimately killing one of them," an official read in court overnight. "Officers located the knife after they were granted permission to go inside the defendant's residence. They found the knife that was used, and they found clothes and shoes, indicating her involvement in these two offenses."
The aunt, who police say was stabbed six times, had to have surgery. Officials say she is going to be OK.
Mendoza was transported to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
McDonald is scheduled to appear in court again Wednesday morning.
