Services held for fallen firefighter.

HUMBLE, TX (KTRK) -- Funeral services were held Monday morning for an Atascocita volunteer firefighter who died during a training exercise in Beaumont.

Captain Neal Smith died last week from injuries he received during a specialized training course at the east Texas-area fall 'Smoke Diver' School.

The funeral got underway around 10am at the First Assembly of God in Humble. It began with a huge procession including about 150 fire trucks. One of those was carrying the body of Captain Smith. His family stood nearby as his flag-draped casket was brought down from the fire truck.

Captain Smith, a five-year veteran of the Atascocita Volunteer Fire Department, was undergoing training earlier this month in Beaumont. Something went wrong and he died from his injuries suffered in a fire training field exercise.

The 46-year-old was surrounded by family when he was taken off life support.

Training for firefighters can be just as risky sometimes as fighting fires. According to the US Fire Administration, last year eight firefighters died during training.

A Georgia firefighter also became ill during the exercise but is recovering. The accident is under investigation.

Captain Smith is survived by his wife and two children.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Man investigate for poisoning boy with salt - forcing him to watch horror flicks

HOUSTON

A Houston man is accused of pouring salt down the throat of 4-year-old Angel Maldonado　and torturing him on a number of occasions.

Rolando Tomas Mendez, 21, was charged with injury to a child this week after a year-long investigation.

Angel was rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital Northeast after vomiting and losing consciousness on September 28, 2011. He was then airlifted to Memorial Hermann Children’s Hospital. Doctors there said he could’ve died if they’d waited any longer.

Poice questioned Angel's mother and Mendez, her live-in boyfriend. He is not the boy’s father, but does have a 2-year-old daughter with the mother.

Mendez told police he was keeping both kids while their mother worked the first day of her new job. He said after feeding them, he noticed Angel had vomited in the bedroom and bathroom.

The child’s mother said she noticed her son was walking sideways and was unable to keep his balance so she ran and picked him up. As she rushed her son to the hospital, she noticed his bottom lip was blue and hanging down.

Mendez told the mother he had given the boy a piece of lemon with a little salt on it and fed him spaghetti, but denied doing anything wrong to the child.

Doctors, however, said the child had elevated levels of sodium and had to be either poisoned with salt or deprived water. After numerous tests, they determined there were no underlying medical conditions that could explain the sodium levels.

When Angel returned home, relatives say he would often cry uncontrollably and had developed a fear of the salt shaker. His grandmother said he’d say "no touch, that’s bad" when someone would reach for the shaker at the dinner table.

They put two and two together and called police.

Angel told investigators that "Lando" was mean and often forced him to eat "a lot of salt" when he got mad. The boy showed how Mendez would tilt his head back and shake the salt directly into his mouth. He also said Mendez would place him into scorching hot baths.

"I was real, real mad. I didn’t know what to do," said Alberto Maldonado, Angel’s father.

Angel's paternal grandmother was also interviewed. She told investigators the child told her that Mendez would lock him in the closet and make him watch scary "Chucky" movies.

Mendez told police he did let the child watch the "Chucky" movie with him, but said he never locked him in the closet or poured salt down his throat.

He refused to take a polygraph examination.

Stranger danger!

HUMBLE, TX (KTRK) -- There is an important conversation that parents should have with their school-age children if they haven't already, particularly if your student is in Humble Independent School District.Officials in Humble say children need to be especially cautious of people they do not know after several recent incidents.

At the neighborhood pool, this Labor Day weekend was as it should be, but Shannon Fairchild and his kids remember what happened just across the street last Wednesday morning.

"My daughter was in line at the bus stop and they noticed it," Fairchild said. "Luckily, some parents noticed the stranger with binoculars, lurking. And they called the cops."

Investigators arrested Brandon Brown and charged him with indecent exposure. It happened within a few blocks of Oaks Elementary.

"It's ridiculous kids can't go to school without having to worry about going to school," Mindy Snell said. "Going to school used to be fun."

Neighbors are angry because this wasn't a rare occurrence. In fact, it's just one of four "stranger danger" incidents to hit Humble ISD in the past week.

That same Wednesday afternoon, a seventh grader was approached by a man in a car. It happened in an area near Timberwood Middle School and Eagle Spring Elementary.

"It does seem like the last few weeks there has been incidents," Michelle Boorn said. "I don't know what else we can do other than watch out for each other."

Then last Thursday at Deerwood Elementary, a Houston police officer reported that a man 18-20 years old was acting suspicious. The man reportedly asked the officer for the location of the nearest elementary school.

The fourth incident happened Friday when a dark blue SUV slowed down and a man leaned out, trying to talk to two Humble Middle School students. Officials said the girls immediately ran away, so they did not hear what he said.

"Oh no, here we go again," Boorn said. "All we're trying to do is keep an eye out for each other, keep an eye out for the kids."

Fortunately, no children were harmed in any of the incidents. Parents tell us they are more vigilant than ever and are teaching their kids to stay safe.

"It's really good that schools are getting out the message and what the kids need to know," Fairchild said.

Humble ISD principals have sent alerts to parents, warning of the incidents and encouraging them to discuss stranger danger rules with their children.

The district suggests you go over the following with your kids:

• Walk to and from school in groups.
• If anything unusual occurs, tell an adult immediately. Parents and teachers need to know right away what happened.
• Never talk to strangers or accept rides from them.
• Don't panic. If you are afraid or have a problem, call a parent or a trusted adult.
• Arrange for immediate access to neighbors and other trusted adults who could answer questions or be contacted in an emergency.
• Tour the neighborhood with your child to identify safe and dangerous circumstances and places.
• Never tell people at the door or phone callers that you are home alone. Say your parents are busy and offer to take a message.
• Keep your house key hidden. Don't give it to anyone and don't keep it in a visible place that would tell people you are going home to an empty house.
• Never get into a car, enter a home, look for a lost pet, and accept candy or toys from an adult, unless your parents know what you are doing and have given you their permission first.
• Tell a trusted adult parent, teacher or counselor if anyone ever makes you feel uncomfortable. When children are abused, it often is by someone they know and trust.

If you see suspicious behavior, let school officials know. Call 911 for emergencies or call appropriate law enforcement authorities.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Houston/Gulf Coast Hurricane warned

By Eric Berger, Houston Chronicle McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Aug. 27--Tropical Storm Isaac moved into the Gulf of Mexico late Sunday, setting the stage for a midweek rendezvous with the northern Gulf coast.

In response to the growing threat, the National Hurricane Center issued hurricane warnings for the coast from Morgan City, La., to Destin, Fla.

Forecasters said it remained difficult to determine the storm's most likely track, but New Orleans was in the middle of the hurricane center's "cone of uncertainty."

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal called a state of emergency on Sunday and suggested that people leave low-lying parts of the state. A voluntary evacuation of New Orleans began Sunday, and mandatory evacuations could begin as early as Monday.

An emergency declaration was also issued in Mississippi by Gov. Phil Bryant amid concerns of storm surge threatening low-lying areas.

By late Sunday Isaac remained a powerful tropical storm, with 65-mph sustained winds, and forecasters anticipated it would grow into a hurricane by Monday. The official forecast predicts Isaac will come ashore as a Category 2 hurricane along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast, although some forecast models strengthened it into a major hurricane before landfall.

Isaac could reach the northern Gulf coast by Wednesday -- the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Passing through the Florida Keys as a tropical storm, Gov. Rick Scott said Sunday evening that only minor damage was reported in Florida.

In Tampa, Republican National Convention officials said they would convene briefly on Monday, then recess until Tuesday afternoon, when the storm was expected to have passed.

Offshore, energy companies were preparing for the storm, as they stepped up evacuation of workers from the Gulf and shut down some production.

By midday Sunday, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement reported 24 percent of the current daily oil production in the Gulf had been shut down, along with just over 8 percent of current daily natural gas production.

Satish Nagarajaiah, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University, said the evacuations and production shutdowns were routine. More platforms will be shut down by Monday, he said, most of them in the eastern Gulf. And once the storm passes, production will be restarted quickly unless the platform sustains damage, he said.

Drilling in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico accounts for 23 percent of domestic crude oil production and about 7 percent of natural gas production, according to U.S. government statistics.

More than 40 percent of the country's refining capacity is located along the Gulf coast, too. So far, refineries are continuing operations.

BP said Sunday it had temporarily suspended production at all of its operated production platforms in the Gulf. Apache Corp. and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. both said they shut in some production. BP had begun evacuating workers Friday; by Saturday, Chevron, Murphy Oil, Shell, Exxon Mobil and other companies were evacuating nonessential workers.

On Sunday afternoon some forecast models suggests Isaac could move as far west as the Texas-Louisiana border before moving inland, possibly posing a hurricane threat to Texas.

But that scenario remained unlikely, forecasters said. "There's not a zero percent chance on Texas, but it certainly is still an outlier" that the state would get hit, said Bill Read, the recently retired director of the National Hurricane Center.

Depending how close Isaac moves to Texas, waters offshore Galveston could see some higher waves, and winds could rise over the region on Wednesday and Thursday. Some rain is also possible.

Staff writer Jeannie Kever contributed to this report.

Thieves targeting Humble churches for copper

HUMBLE, TX (KTRK) -- Thieves are targeting a church in Humble. They've burglarized it more than once and it appears they're only after one thing.

Three central air units worth $55,000 were gutted for the copper that thieves were intent on stealing. It happened at night on July 28. The next morning was Sunday services at St. Luke's Missionary Baptist Church, also known as The Luke.

"That's when I found out we were gonna be a little warm that morning," Pastor Timothy Sloan said.

Once was not enough for the copper thieves apparently. Three nights ago they returned, taking two more units. They timed their visit after a security guard ended his shift.

"They come back for more. No regard, no sacred regard whatsoever," said Pastor Sloan.

Lightning was about to strike a third time Wednesday night, but security ran them off before they could steal any more copper.

Throughout all this, the church has never missed a service. Attendance is said to be at an all-time high, although the building isn't at full AC power.

Doctrine teaches forgiveness for one's enemies, but it also promises justice and consequences. You see, a security guard managed to get a license plate number from the attempted theft.

"We have turned in their license plate number to local authorities and hopefully they're investigating it right now," said Pastor Sloan.

This story was brought to you through our partnership with Houston Community Newspapers. You can read more about the church thefts in The Humble Observer.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Police looking for fake Feds who rob

Courtesy Click2Houston.com

HUMBLE, Texas - Police are searching for two men who, they said, pretended to be federal agents when they robbed a man.

Humble police said two men approached an employee at an auto dealership in the 19000 block of U.S. 59 North about 10 a.m. on May 26.

David McCall was at work when he said the men walked up to him. He sells cars at Tejas Toyota in Humble and said the men acted like they were interested in buying a truck when no one else was around.

"He throwed me against the vehicle and said that I was under arrest for drug charges," said McCall. "At that time I said, 'Sir, you've got the wrong person. I've never done a drug in my life and I'm a 68 year old grandfather.' I thought they were federal officers. On the back of the guy's shirt it said federal officer."

McCall said the men were also armed. They handcuffed him and threw him in the back of a 2004 Dodge Durango SUV. They then drove him about 9 miles away, where they robbed him.

"They took a Rolex watch, a gold diamond ID bracelet, four diamond rings, a GM ring, a gold nugget that I got in Alaska," McCall said. "They left me with nothing in my pockets. They took everything, period."

McCall said he thinks about the robbery every day and hopes that a newly released composite sketch will help police catch the suspects.

"The likeness of the picture and the man are pretty cotton stinkin' close," he said. "They need to be caught because eventually they'll end up hurting somebody."

One of the men was described as Hispanic, 45 to 55 years old and 6 feet to 6 feet 1 inch tall. A description of the second attacker has not been released.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Historic rains soak Houston and vicinity

CBS/AP) HOUSTON - Historic rainfall levels that drenched the Houston area this week flooded dozens of homes and caused widespread street flooding, but the rain also is likely to result in the end of drought conditions in Southeast Texas, officials said Friday.

Officials estimated that fewer than 100 homes were flooded after Cypress Creek, located in the northwest part of the Houston area, rose above its banks after getting about 14 inches of rain over the past couple of days, said Francisco Sanchez, a spokesman for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

County officials were still trying to reach flooded neighborhoods oan Friday to better assess the damage, but initial reports had homes affected anywhere from a few inches to a couple of feet of water, Sanchez said.

"Some areas along Cypress Creek got more rain in the last 24 hours than in Hurricane Ike (in 2008) or from major flooding in 1998," Sanchez said.

CBS Affiliate KHOU reports it will be mostly dry Saturday morning, but there is a 60-percent chance of rain beginning in the afternoon.

A flood warning is in effect until 8:50 a.m. Sunday for northwest Harris County and Montgomery County. A flood warning is in effect until 10 Sunday night for the Spring Creek area of Harris County.

In northwest Harris County, a good portion of the subdivision called the Enchanted Valley Estates was only accessible by boat. Homeowners could be seen using canoes, pontoon boats and even a jet ski to navigate around the area.

Firefighters rescued several families from the Norchester subdivision near Cypress Creek Friday when two to three feet of water seeped into their homes overnight.

Several people also had to be rescued early Friday morning after driving into high water.

Gary Whitaker Jr., who lives in one of the areas affected by Cypress Creek, said street flooding in his neighborhood had started to recede on Friday but a nearby subdivision still had streets that were impassable. Water from the creek was flowing "like a waterfall" across one street and into a golf course, he said.

"Quite a few people in our subdivision couldn't go to work today. They couldn't get out (due to flooded streets). It was pretty risky," he said.

Whitaker, 36, who lives in Cypress, an unincorporated area in northwest Harris County, said there were no reports of flooded homes in his neighborhood.

The American Red Cross in Houston sent out workers Friday to affected neighborhoods to assess the flooded homes, said spokesman Cameron Ballantyne. The agency had not opened any shelters.

In Montgomery County, located just north of Harris County, officials reported seven to eight flooded homes.

A shelter had been opened in Montgomery County at Living Stones Church in Magnolia, but church secretary Linda Arnold said no residents had used the facility.

Victor Murphy, a climate expert with the National Weather Service, said one rain gauge on the border of Harris and Waller counties recorded 10.3 inches of rain in a 10 hour period.

Murphy said that amount of precipitation within that short period of time suggests that area experienced a "100-year rainfall event," which caused Cypress Creek to overflow.

Other areas in Southeast Texas also got large amounts of rain, including just west of Bay City in Matagorda County, which received about 18 inches this past week.

"Rainfall in the entire (Southeast Texas) area this week was in the 8 to 10 inch category," he said. "The average weekly rainfall for this time of year is about 1 inch or so."

While the current U.S. Drought Monitor shows some parts of Southeast Texas as being abnormally dry, that does not include this week's rainfall totals.

"When the next U.S. Drought Monitor comes out Thursday, there will not be any drought in Southeast Texas," Murphy said. Most of the rest of the state was expected to remain in drought conditions.

Even if Southeast Texas only experiences average rainfall or dry weather the rest of the summer, drought conditions should be kept at bay until at least the fall, Murphy said.

Sanchez said officials were hopeful Cypress Creek, which was still rising Friday, would eventually recede if the area was not inundated with more rain. Water levels at two other nearby creeks which had also flowed out of their banks, had started to fall.

Rain was forecast for this weekend but the chances of showers were expected to be lower than earlier this week.