TOMBALL, TX – Authorities in Harris County have charged a mother and her boyfriend after a tragic incident led to the death of an 18-month-old girl. The young child, Cora, succumbed to fatal injuries after being struck by a vehicle on Saturday, according to officials.
On the day of the incident, Morgan Ottinger, 31, was in her vehicle at her home in Tomball, northwest of Houston, when she reportedly fell asleep. Her daughter, who had been with her, exited the vehicle and wandered outside unsupervised, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez reported.
The toddler was hit by a car driven by Ottinger’s boyfriend, Cameron Link, 41, as he entered the driveway, said Sheriff Gonzalez. Despite the swift arrival of emergency services, Cora was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have noted a concerning delay in notifying emergency services, but details regarding the lapse remain undisclosed.
Legal action swiftly followed; Ottinger was charged with child endangerment, resulting in serious bodily injury. Meanwhile, Link, who already faced arrest warrants related to motor vehicle misconduct and theft offenses, was taken into custody. Sheriff Gonzalez mentioned that Link did not appear impaired during the incident.
Harris County Sheriff Maj. Anthony McConnell expressed distress over the lack of supervision that led to the tragedy. “The child was left unsupervised, which is entirely preventable,” McConnell remarked, emphasizing the failures in caregiving responsibilities.
Currently, Ottinger is held at the Harris County Jail with bail set at $40,000, while Link is detained without the possibility of bail. Their arrests highlight ongoing concerns about child safety and parental responsibility in the community.
Sheriff Gonzalez and his team continue to urge parents and guardians to remain vigilant and cautious, particularly around young children who are vulnerable and at risk from inadequate supervision.
As the investigation progresses, authorities seek to understand the full context of what transpired that day to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Details surrounding the sequence of events and the delayed response remain critical focal points for investigators aiming to piece together the timeline and factors that contributed to the incident. The community remains shaken by the loss, with calls for enhanced awareness and preventative measures against such tragedies.