Fayette County Sheriff's Office vis FOX 26
"This tragedy has shaken our community," said the sheriff, after the suspect's 13-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl were killed in the "tragic" incident.
A 31-year-old Texas mother has been arrested, after she allegedly shot four of her children, killing two of them.
Oninda Romelus was identified by the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office as the woman arrested and charged with two counts of Murder and two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, following a shooting on October 4 just before 5AM.
Per authorities, she is the mother of all four children involved in the incident, all of whom sustained gunshot wounds. Romelus' 13-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter were pronounced dead at the scene, while an 8-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl were flown to a Houston-area hospital, where, as of Sunday, they were listed in stable condition.
"The shooting is believed to have occurred inside the vehicle," said the Sheriff's Department in a statement. "When deputies arrived, they immediately began providing lifesaving aid to the children until medical personnel arrived. The quick actions of responding deputies are believed to have saved at least one child's life."
The two surviving children have since spoken with authorities.
In a previous report, authorities said the children's mother is the one who called 911 from a nearby gas station.
The investigation into the case remains ongoing, while Romelus' bond has been set at $14 million. No motive has been revealed.
"This tragedy has shaken our community, and we are all feeling the loss," said Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman. "I'm proud of the deputies whose quick response made a difference, and I want to thank the people of Brazoria County and surrounding areas for their prayers and support for these children and our first responders."
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View StoryPer FOX 26 Houston, Romelus was previously arrested and charged in Georgia with misdemeanor DUI of Drugs, Failure to Maintain Lane and Possession of Marijuana less than 1 ounce in 2022. The booking photo above is from that arrest.
According to Fayette County court records, it appears Romelus entered a guilty plea on the DUI charge and the other two charges were dismissed.
If you are experiencing or witness child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
