He is in a state of disbelief and shock., Elisco echoed Bongivengos words, saying this is an extremely tragic situation.. Of course, Kenzies family remains convinced that Jordan is responsible and that he was released on what is essentially a technicality. She even had a stepson through Chris in the form of his 11-year-old son Jordan. Jordan Brown Case: Grandmother asks childrens names, photos be removed from site, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. "The case is obviously not over," said Elisco. Jordans case is being transferred to the Pennsylvania attorney generals office. Now 16, Jordan was found to be responsible for the deaths. They even found a perfect shotgun shell in the driveway. It wasn't that Kenzie was worried about the pregnancy, she was ready to have the baby and had plenty of practice being a mom. Due to tough-on-crime laws, Pennsylvania has more juveniles sentenced to life in prison without parole than any other state. We Family and friends gathered at the grave Thursday the fifth anniversary followed by a meal at the family home. This photo of Kenzie Houk was part of a memorial her family prepared for her in 2009. The boy's attorney, Dennis Elisco, did not immediately return a Marie Houk a hard time, especially when his father wasn't around. or anything. But the day took a tragic turn around 9 a.m. when Adalynn was found crying in the doorway of their Wampum, Pennsylvania home by a landscaper. Brown told "Nightline" he was "heartbroken" and "sickened by the judge's ruling.". or anything. Share with Us. Authorities ruled her death a homicide. Winds light and variable. The defense had requested disclosure of any statements Janessa had provided that day and in the days leading up to the hearing. The 26-year-old shared the New Beaver Borough home with her fiance, Chris Brown, his . Our story begins during that pregnancy, on a chilly February morning. Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Keep it Clean. Don't Threaten. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Not only that, but Janessa recalled waiting in the living room for Jordan when she heard a big boom echo through the house. When asked if Jordan had any problems in line with the Houks' comments, Brown said no. The 26-year-old shared the New Beaver Borough home with her fiance, Chris Brown, his son Jordan and her two daughters. He said the two were removed from school by state police after officers had learned of Houks death. that is degrading to another person. Winds light and variable. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. person will not be tolerated. Over the following nine years, Christopher visited his son every single day even though the trip was about 115 miles each way bringing him fantasy books to distract him from life behind bars. Before the murder, there were multiple accounts of Houk being uncomfortable and tormented by Brown. That was her gift. We'd love to hear eyewitness Stay at Home shutterstock.com For now, it's a life interrupted for Jordan, as his lawyers begin the process of appealing the judge's decision. A child's brain isn't fully developed -- especially in area that controls decision making, risk taking and impulse control, according to Steinberg, whose research influenced a Supreme Court case banning the death penalty for juveniles in 2005. State police arrived just before 10 a.m. and found Houk in her bed with a single gunshot wound to the back of the head. Low around 40F. Lawrence County District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa, who took office Monday after being elected in November, has a conflict of interest. According to Bongivengo, there were initial reports from the boy about a black truck in the area that the children didnt recognize. Those evaluations are required by state law to determine if the youth is receiving adequate treatment. "The boys and girls, the kids that he's with, they're pretty harsh kids. Chance of rain 60%.. Jordan Brown, who was 11 at the time, is charged with shooting a pregnant Houk as she lay on her bed Feb. 20. Police said they found a spent shotgun shell in the same spot. She said she also wishes things had gone differently between her family and Jordans father. Adalynn, who loves to read, is enrolled. Bongivengo noted Houk, who had been lying on her side, was shot at point blank range. But many argue 12 is simply too young to face the prospect of an adult sentence. Watch. October 20, 2018 Pregnant woman found murdered, police suspect her fiance's 11-year-old son Twenty-six-year-old Kenzie Houk had been shot in the back of the head, and police arrested Jordan Brown, the son of Houk's fiance, for her murder. NORMAL A Normal woman is suing the town's police department in federal court after she said officers used excessive force and arrested her w. "Why should you get the things back that you had when you took so much you took two lives here. In addition, Houks daughter said she also witnessed Brown drop something on the ground from his pocket before they got on the bus, which was where the spent shotgun shell was found. More than two years after he was charged, the now-13-year-old was moved out of adult and back to juvenile court. They are now 12 and 9, respectively. But everything changed on the morning of February 20, 2009. It was Houk's 4-year-old daughter Adalynn who discovered her own mother's body. In July 2018, Jordan Brown was set free. He admitted to police that he and Kenzie argued about money but much as that seemed like viable motive on his part, it still couldnt be him. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Winds light and variable. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The site calls for financial support to provide Jordan with an effective defense. The 4-year-old called out to a team of tree trimmers, telling one of them that her mother was dead. Use the 'Report' link on Kenzie Houk had been shot in the back of the head. I miss her too, said Debbie Houk, who still stops almost every day at Parkside Cemetery, where her daughter and unborn grandson are buried. Bongivengo described Houks older daughter who will be 8 next month as the main witness. Supreme Court case banning the death penalty for juveniles in 2005. disrespect her,"' Debbie Houk added. Her case deserves to be reopened and reinvestigated. Be Truthful. Human gestation is generally 38 weeks, with two weeks more or less considered to be normal. "It's been at least two months that he's made the threats," Christopher Brown was engaged to his fiance Kenzie Houk, per ABC News, and at eight and a half months pregnant, Houk was eagerly awaiting their new baby. These ventures are why the latter bought a youth-sized 20-gauge shotgun for his son, which the police considered the murder weapon. He also didnt seem to know where Kenzie lived. Then, the two siblings sat in the living room until the bus came. Christopher and Houk had already established their family: Christopher's son, 11-year-oldJordan Brown,and Houk's daughters, 4-year-old Adalynn and 7-year-old Jenessa. It would have been expensive and taken all of her time. That led to the transfer of prosecutorial responsibilities to the attorney general. All we hear is how wonderfully hes doing academically, Jack Houk said. An appeal of the Superior Court ruling will be argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court next month. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. There was a consistent backlash in the case as the years dragged on. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. I've talked to him numerous times in depth about what happened and if he knew anything about it, if he was involved, he would have told me by now," Brown said. Cloudy skies after midnight. There was a chance that Jordan could be released much earlier, but it would be another eight months before he would stand trial for double homicide one count for the mother, one for the baby. The family was interviewed immediately after Houk's death. By that point, Jenessa had changed her story. But police said that Jordan later changed his story, adding additional details about a man inside the truck. He told him, 'Don't you ever God bless those khakis! Johnson said Houks pregnancy was 34 or 35 weeks along, meaning she was close to delivering the baby. On the morning of Feb. 21, 2009, attorney Dennis Elisco met a boy who changed his life. April 28, 2010 -- The killing of a young pregnant mother, allegedly by the 11-year-old boy who was about to become her stepson, has created a bitter feud between two families that were about to be happily joined through marriage. PITTSBURGH - An 11-year-old boy accused of killing his father's Flick Fact: Who actually owns State Farm? Threats of harming another But investigators believed the strongest piece of circumstantial evidence came from Jenessa. Yesterday was a difficult day for everybody involved, the district attorney said Saturday, adding officials at the scene were in shock. Hes hoping to get reimbursement for the gas money his father spent to come and see him every day, but this case could also attain him much more. Defense attorneys are asking that his case be transferred to the juvenile system. Low around 40F. "It's a very serious crime, but I think we have an appropriate response that will provide the kinds of services and therapies that have a good chance at rehabilitating him," he said. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 51K views, 80 likes, 1 loves, 226 comments, 24 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from ABC 20/20: For the first time, Kenize Houk's younger daughter Adalynn describes finding her mother dead inside their. her daughters. A 20-gauge shot gun shell casing was found next to the familys driveway. It hurts.". Bones found in Taylor Township identified as Story, Pa. state senators urge Biden to restart Keysto, Successes despite setbacks veteran and New Ca, Larry Pugh discusses Black history during library event, Dollar General plans new Neshannock store, Column by Ron Poniewasz Jr.: WPIAL doesn't disappoint with questionable playoff venues, Two charged in gunfire while driving incident, Man charged for being inside condemned house, County WPIAL teams bidding for berth in state title tilt, Amish buggy crash victim described as good neighbor, Woman accused of stabbing man with scissors, New Castle school administrators getting raises, ROBISON, Linda May 19, 1951 - Mar 1, 2023, MARCEAU JR., William Jul 29, 1956 - Feb 27, 2023, SNIDER, Steven Jun 10, 1983 - Jan 25, 2023. Still even working on the idea that Jordan was jealous of his new baby brother, all of this might not be enough to charge him with the crime. But when she was. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. The 26-year-old Houk and her unborn baby died Feb. 20, 2009, when she was shot in the New Beaver Borough farmhouse she shared with her daughters, her fianc, Chris Brown, and his son Jordan, then 11. He had changed his story, albeit slightly, but enough that his soon-to-be half-sisters account cemented in their minds that he might be lying. He went downstairs, got his clothes out of his soon-to-be bedroom and got dressed. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Police turned to other suspects. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, The young man wasnt just a suspect in his step-mothers murder, he was the prime suspect. The arrest of an allegedly murderous fifth-grader quickly found its way onto the Internet and onto network news. For the fifth time, the Houk family has marked the death of their Kenzie Marie and her unborn son. She first said she didn't see anything unusual with. This petition starter stood up and took action. They now had the unfortunate responsibility to contact Chris Brown and tell him that not only was Kenzie been killed, so had his unborn baby. In this undated photo released by the Houk family shows Kenzie Marie Houk with her daughters Jenessa, left, and Adalynn in Wampum, Pa.. Eleven-year-old Jordan Brown is charged in the shooting death of the 26-year-old pregnant mother of two. Both follow in their mothers athletic footsteps and both have chosen Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast Gabby Douglas and their mother as role models. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Bloomington-Normal music teacher sentenced to 88 years on sexual assault, child porn charges, Bloomington homes evacuated Saturday after car strikes house, gas line, Bloomington native vying for tattoo magazine cover, Lawsuit: Normal police battered, arrested woman without cause, McLean County deputies find vehicle wanted in homicide investigation. According to the attorneys, her original two statements to police indicated she noticed nothing unusual. We didnt do it, Debbie Houk said. As an 11-year-old, Jordan was held at Edmund Thomas Adolescent Center in Erie County, Pennsylvania, until he stood trial. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Winds light and variable. "So he knew what a gun did. He attended college to study computer science and criminal justice, in the hopes of becoming a civil rights attorney for the next generation of accused kids. He said Saturday the two girls are with their maternal grandmother. In fact, even though she's shared parts of what she remembered with family over the years, she never opened up about it entirely till '20/20.' As per Adalynn's record, she woke up by the sound of a gunshot but couldn't pinpoint it instantly because she was so young. Brown and his dad, Christopher, lived with Houk and her two small daughters in a farmhouse in a rural western Pennsylvania town of Wampum, where the father often took his son hunting. Keep it Clean. Jordan assured them that he hadnt touched any gun that morning, but the smell of gunpowder and the youth model shotgun in the home told a different story. Attorney Dennis Elisco said the evidence that will come out in trial will show that Jordan did not commit this crime. He and Jordan finally felt vindicated in their assertions that Jordan hadnt committed that terrible crime. "The judge is saying in order to be tried as a juvenile you need to admit that you've done the crime. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. The morning of her murder, Houk had asked Browns father if he could stay home from work with her. He fell to his knees in despair and once he had regained composure, made his way to the state police barracks. After being found responsible for the deaths on April 13, 2012, Jordan was sent first to a juvenile facility in Chambersburg, then to George Junior Republic in Grove City. They called 911. Kenzie Houk's younger daughter Adalynn describes finding her mom dead . Please subscribe to keep reading. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. I dont want pity, but sometimes I get so angry.. Jordan said he had seen a black truck near his house that morning, but he didn't think anything of it at the time. Low 39F. Feb. They say Brown The fetus was viable and the death of the mother caused the death of the baby.. As CNN reports, both Houk and her unborn baby had been killed by a 20-gauge shotgun bullet to the back of the head. But for Jordan Brown, the nightmare was just beginning. Since she was a little girl and in pure shock, the police couldn't interrogate her. Rain earlythen remaining cloudy with showers overnight. The Houks gathered at the hospital to say goodbye -- not only to Kenzie Houk, but to their unborn grandson, who was to be named Christopher Jr. "It was horrible. (AP Photo/Thhe Houk Family). Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. As part of procedure, they had to interview him and even swabbed his hands for gunpowder residue just in case. Jordan, who has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 21, 2009, has never admitted guilt in the shooting. He called the situation tragic in every sense of the word.. They say they remember that. Explore. or anything. Two years after his guilty verdict for the first-degree murder of Kenzie and the criminal homicide of her unborn child was overturned for good, Jordan filed a federal lawsuit against a few former police officials over his stolen childhood. Winds light and variable. Of course, Harvey also just discovered that 4-year-old Adalynn, was not his biological daughter as he once believed her to be. Live. A hearing on it is scheduled for Jan. 29. Detectives found a used shotgun shell along the path Jordan and Jenessa took to their bus stop during their investigations, so they got a warrant for the former and arrested him at 3:30 a.m. the following morning. These are minor children, he said. Jordan Brown Case, Five Years Later: Victims family coming along, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. In it, the girl said she had heard a shotgun blast before she and Jordan had left the house to catch a school bus. The graves are decorated for holidays and special occasions, including Kenzies April 20 birthday and the anniversary of her death. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Its a hard day for us. She first said she didn't see anything unusual with Jordan that morning, but by the fourth interview, Jenessa claimed she saw Jordan moving around his shotgun the morning her mom died. The girls were sent to their fathers house while Chris and Jordan stayed in the home. The youngest child, 4-year-old Adalynn, stayed behind with Houk. mitsubishi rpm problem Police said what really turned the case for them were additional interviews they conducted with Jenessa and Jordan the night of the murders. I mean, I think theway it happened is B.S., Jordan said on 20/20. Im innocent. A Bloomington-Normal music teacher has been sentenced to 88 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to sexual as. 7-year-old daughter saw him; they believe he then hid the gun in a and her unborn baby boy the day before as she lay in her bed. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. There were two main theories: either a stranger had broken into Houk's home after the kids left for school and murdered the 26-year-old. He was no longer facing life in prison. In a criminal complaint released yesterday, Jenessa Houk told police she had just finished putting on her socks and shoes Friday morning when she heard a "big boom." The 7-year-old girl then. Despite the fact that the blended family had only just moved in together, they seemed to be bonding well. The coroner said an unborn baby could survive only minutes after its mothers death. 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