Texas teenagers’ alleged escape from handcuffs at their house triggers Amber Alert, authorities say

“Malnourished” teenage twins who escaped from handcuffs at their Texas house set off an Amber Alert for 5 different siblings, ages 7 to 14, who had been decided to be secure a day later in Louisiana, officers stated Tuesday. 

Jeff McShan of Harris County Constable Precinct 5 stated the incident started when the 16-year-old twins, a boy and a lady, contacted a neighbor Monday and requested to name 911 as a result of that they had escaped from their house the place they “had been handcuffed and held towards their will by their mother.”

The siblings stated that they had solely not too long ago moved to the house and didn’t know their deal with, McShan stated.

“It was apparent to us and the fireplace division that the youngsters had been in misery. That they had marks on their wrists, fairly deep marks from {the handcuffs}. They had been bruised and malnourished in our eyes,” he stated.

The twins had been hospitalized and are within the custody of Little one Protecting Providers, in response to NBC affiliate KPRC of Houston.

McShan stated it took authorities a number of hours Monday to find out which home the twins had fled. After they arrived, the youngsters’s mom, Zaikiya Duncan, 40, and her boyfriend, 27-year-old Jova Terrell, had apparently left with Duncan’s 5 different youngsters, McShan stated.

 “The kids had been discovered at a relative’s home and have been deemed secure by the Louisiana State Police. Their mom and mother’s boyfriend are in custody and shall be introduced again to Harris County,” the constable’s workplace stated.

The company stated it’s recommending that Duncan and Terrell be charged with damage to a toddler, a first-degree felony. It additionally stated the youngsters’s 18-year-old brother can also be lacking. His whereabouts had been unclear Wednesday.

Duncan and Terrell had been arrested after a visitors cease Tuesday afternoon, Louisiana State Police stated Wednesday. That they had been fugitives from Harris County, in response to the company. A juvenile was within the automobile with the couple, state police stated. 5 different youngsters who had been dropped off at a relative’s home close to Baton Rouge had been later recognized and accounted for, in response to police.

McShan stated he expects the couple to return to Texas this week to face expenses. It was not clear Wednesday if that they had retained an legal professional.

Duncan was listed on a cost of fugitive on the East Baton Rouge Parish Jail on Wednesday afternoon. Terrell was not listed as an inmate there.

Relations for Duncan and Terrell couldn’t be reached Wednesday.

Helen Kwong contributed.