Crime
Texas Teachers Trena Henshaw and Sydney Madill Caught on Video Injuring 5-Year-Old Autistic Boy
BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas — Two elementary school teachers have been terminated after surveillance footage surfaced showing them physically assaulting a 5-year-old nonverbal autistic student at Wild Peach Elementary School in Columbia-Brazoria Independent School District.
The educators, identified as Trena Henshaw and Sydney Madill, were captured on camera during two separate incidents on October 30.
According to school officials, both have since been fired, but the child’s mother, Guadalupe Rodriguez, says termination is not enough — she is demanding full criminal accountability.
Surveillance video from the classroom reportedly shows one teacher violently slamming the boy to the floor.
Less than an hour earlier, another clip appears to show the same teacher dropping him.
A separate video later in the day shows a different teacher kicking the child’s injured ankle while attempting to force him to walk, despite visible signs of pain.
Rodriguez described the experience of watching the footage as “devastating,” saying her son’s disability made the abuse even more disturbing.
“This is trauma that my son and I will carry forever,” Rodriguez said. “I dropped to my knees and cried. I never expected to see my son treated that way.”
She noticed something was wrong when her son returned home limping that afternoon. Concerned, she immediately took him to urgent care, where doctors diagnosed him with a fractured and sprained ankle.
Rodriguez returned to the school the next day demanding answers. When the principal allowed her to review surveillance footage, she discovered multiple incidents showing her son being mistreated and ignored.
“My son was showing signs of distress, and not one teacher stopped to check on him,” she said. “Nobody cared.”
In a letter to parents, Wild Peach Elementary’s principal confirmed that the incident had been reported to both the Texas Education Agency and the Columbia-Brazoria ISD Police Department, which has referred the case to the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office for review.
Although both teachers have been terminated, Rodriguez says that isn’t enough.
“Part of me is relieved, but I’m not satisfied,” she said. “They’re still walking free.”
Her son has not returned to Wild Peach Elementary since the incident, and Rodriguez says she is now consulting with attorneys to explore legal action.
The Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office has not yet confirmed whether criminal charges will be filed.
Crime
New Mexico Teen Darren Munoz Charged With Orchestrating Parents’ Murders in Alleged Financial Plot
A 19-year-old New Mexico man is facing multiple murder-related charges after authorities allege he arranged the killings of his father and stepmother as part of a plan to gain control of their finances and property.
Darren Munoz, 19, is accused of recruiting a friend, 18-year-old Julio Zamora, to carry out the fatal shootings of Oscar Munoz, 58, and Dina Munoz, 71, inside the family’s home in Clovis, New Mexico—located more than 200 miles east of Albuquerque.
Both suspects were taken into custody on Monday, December 15.
According to an arrest affidavit, investigators believe the killings were premeditated and planned over the course of weeks or months. Authorities allege Munoz intended to seize his parents’ assets and financial holdings and believed his father owned an Allsups convenience store franchise, a chain operating hundreds of locations across Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
Prosecutors allege the plan called for Zamora to enter the residence through the garage during the early morning hours and shoot both victims while they slept.
Investigators also identified a second individual as a potential backup should Zamora fail to carry out the plan.
Police were dispatched to the Clovis residence at approximately 4:50 a.m. on December 15 after receiving a report of a possible burglary.
Upon arrival, officers found Munoz standing near the open garage.
According to police, Munoz told officers there was no emergency and attempted to dissuade them from entering the home, stating his parents were asleep.
Officers were eventually permitted inside the residence.
Investigators state that Munoz later emerged from a bedroom with blood on his hands.
Both Oscar and Dina Munoz had sustained gunshot wounds to the head. Dina Munoz was pronounced dead at the scene, while Oscar Munoz was transported to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, where he later died from his injuries.
Munoz reportedly told investigators he was awakened by the sound of the garage door alarm but claimed he did not hear any gunshots.
Authorities noted that this account appeared inconsistent with the home’s layout.
Investigators also reported there were no signs of forced entry and no evidence that property had been stolen.
Additional evidence surfaced during the investigation, including statements from Munoz’s girlfriend, who told police he had previously discussed trading an AR-style rifle for another firearm.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Munoz carrying a 9mm Glock handgun several hours before the killings. Investigators also confirmed that Munoz, Zamora, and others had recently purchased 9mm ammunition together.
Zamora was later arrested outside his residence, where authorities recovered a 9mm Glock handgun believed to have been used in the murders.
Investigators allege Zamora admitted that Munoz asked him to kill his parents.
Darren Munoz is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and solicitation to commit first-degree murder.
Julio Zamora faces two counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Both defendants have entered not guilty pleas as the case proceeds through the court system.