Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said when deputies got to the scene, they found a woman barely breathing and suffering from serious bodily injuries.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A 24-year-old man is facing an aggravated assault charge after deputies say he attacked his mother with a hammer during an argument at their home in northwest Harris County.
It happened on Holly Way near Green Land Way and Barker Cypress Road.
Investigators said the suspect mentioned the attack to a friend he was messaging with on a gaming app.
“A male caller indicated that he was communicating with a friend using a gaming app and the friend had told him that he struck his mother with a hammer and she was in dire need of medical attention,” said Major Ben Katrib with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Majore Katrib said that the suspect’s friend didn’t see the messages immediately. About two hours after the messages were sent, he responded, urging the suspect to call for help.
“He had the address from before and we believe that’s how we were able to respond to the right address,” Major Katrib said. “Deputy’s response was within less than 4 minutes. They were on scene.”
When deputies arrived, they found a 61-year-old woman in the backyard, unconscious and bleeding from the head. She was flown by Life Flight to a nearby hospital, where she remains in serious condition.
“A preliminary investigation indicated that there was some sort of verbal argument between the victim and her son, who’s 24 years old, when he became enraged and struck her with a hammer several times,” Katrib said.
Investigators believe the suspect attempted to cover up the crime.
“All the messages were preserved and detectives have reviewed them,” Katrib said. “Also interviewed witnesses, collected evidence, and it was — we believe that based on the information we have — that the suspect was even making attempts to conceal the crime. But luckily, his friend did the right thing and called 911 and we were able to respond in time.”
According to deputies, no one else was in the home at the time of the attack. Katrib said the mother and son were the only ones who lived in the house.
The identities of the suspect and victim have not been released. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office is now reviewing the case as the investigation continues.