Police interviewed two people who were inside the townhome as detectives examined a fatal shooting involving a 4-year-old girl.
HOUSTON, Texas — Two people who were inside a west Houston townhome heard gunshots but did not witness the shooting that killed a 4-year-old girl Tuesday, as homicide detectives investigated what police say happened after a custody hearing involving the child.
Houston police responded about 5:45 p.m. to the 300 block of Terra Reserve Place, near Forest Reserve Place. Officers found the girl dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Her mother also suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to a hospital, where police said she was expected to survive.
Investigators say the mother is believed to have fatally shot her daughter before shooting herself. Police said the shooting followed a custody hearing earlier Tuesday in which the child’s father received custody. Authorities have not released the names of the girl, her mother or the other family members involved.
A stepfather and a childcare aide or babysitter were in the townhome when the shooting happened, according to police. Investigators said both heard the gunfire but apparently did not see the shooting. Homicide detectives interviewed them Tuesday night while officers processed the scene and worked to establish a timeline.
The presence of the two people inside the home gives detectives witnesses who may be able to describe events immediately before or after the gunfire, but police had not publicly disclosed what they told investigators. Authorities also had not said where inside the home the witnesses were when the shots were fired.
Police have provided few details about the family court case beyond saying there had been a custody hearing earlier in the day and that the father was granted custody. The circumstances of the dispute, the terms of the court’s decision and the events between the hearing and the shooting remained under investigation Wednesday.
The mother was initially described as being in critical condition after she was taken from the scene. Police said her injuries were not expected to be fatal. No criminal charges had been publicly announced as of Wednesday morning, and authorities had not said when investigators would be able to interview her.
The investigation was continuing as detectives sought to reconstruct the sequence of events at the townhome and determine what occurred after the custody hearing. Police had not released additional evidence from the home or announced when further information would be provided.
Author note: Last updated September 30, 2026.