The following years saw Jordan Brown fighting for his freedom and reading the fantasy books his father brought for him. So he was ruled out as a suspect pretty quickly. It appeared that neither of them had noticed anything unusual that morning. Be Nice. According to The Innocence Project, the investigation found no fingerprint or DNA clues that would point toward Jordan being Houk's killer. On July 1, 2020 Jordan Brown and his father filed a lawsuit against retired state police investigators and officials seeking personal damages, but neither have made a single attempt in seeking justice for Kenzie Houk and their unborn son. "When it was addressed, Chris said his son would never say such a word.". They say Brown At the same time, officers had been dispatched to Mohawk Elementary School to speak to Janessa and Jordan. Attorneys for a 12-year-old boy charged with homicide are seeking information regarding a key witness. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Jordans second interview revealed that not only had he seen a black truck in the driveway, hed also seen someone inside it. Adalynn said to serve her birthday cake after the memorial service, said Debbie Houk, who shares a birthday with her granddaughter. 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. Police say she initially said nothing unusual happened that morning before school. Low 39F. Jordan lived at the Edmund L. Thomas Adolescent Detention Center for three years before his trial, and was later moved to other facilities. Right away, he could tell something was very wrong. Feb. They say they remember that. accounts, the history behind an article. ABCs 20/20: My Son is Not a Monster is a chapter that delves deep into the 2009 murder of Kenzie Houk, along with its confounding aftermath. Winds light and variable. daughter," she said. Christopher Brown was not home at the time of the shooting, Bongivengo said, adding police had confirmed he was at work by 7 a.m. Pregnant woman's mom: 11-year-old made threats, 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. "To try to explain to a 12-year-old what the rest of your life means it's incomprehensible for him. We'd love to hear eyewitness Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Cloudy skies after midnight. Looking back, I wish we had. Jordan's life has a bit more normalcy now that he has left prison. Houk was a 26-year-old mother of two, died yesterday from a shotgun blast to the back of her head. "Not only that, but keep in mind, [he was] 11 years old when this happened, now 12. Wampum. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Be Proactive. In the past, Harvey had warned that he would kill Houk, threatening her and her new family after finding out that Adalynn was not his biological child. Boy charged with committing murder at age 11 to be tried as an adult. Chance of rain 60%.. something on the ground from his pocket before they got on the bus. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Thursday morning. dangers of a gun.". "Mentally, he's gotten quite an education there," Brown said of the 13-months his son has spent in the facility. Live. We didn't believe it. Adalynn, who loves to read, is enrolled in gymnastics and this year began learning basketball fundamentals. Those evaluations are required by state law to determine if the youth is receiving adequate treatment. At eight months pregnant, the 26-year-old mother of two was sleeping in the Wampum, Pennsylvania, home she shared with them, her new fianc Chris Brown, and his son Jordan Brown, when she was shot right in the back of the head. 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. He told him, 'Don't you ever You can cancel at any time. I hope they will not forget her. Because original statements by Janessa had the effect of clearing Jordan, while it was only a later one that implicated him, the defense says it needs access to more recent information she may have offered to authorities. Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Due to tough-on-crime laws, Pennsylvania has more juveniles sentenced to life in prison without parole than any other state. We'd love to hear eyewitness They took him to the police station and resumed questioning. Over the years, Debbie Houk said, she is trying to summon up forgiveness for the boy accused in the death of her daughter and grandson. The coroner said an unborn baby could survive only minutes after its mothers death. "He's an average 12-year-old," said Jordan's father Chris Brown. 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. that is degrading to another person. Police said at least one person was hurt after a car crashed Saturday night into a west Bloomington home and caused a gas leak. The boy's attorney, Dennis Elisco, did not immediately return a Police said they found a spent shotgun shell in the same spot. Don't knowingly lie about anyone 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. 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. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The decision was the biggest setback yet for the Brown family. 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. 7-year-old daughter saw him; they believe he then hid the gun in a But the district attorneys office turned down the request on the grounds nothing Janessa has said had been put down in writing. My family has been hurt so much and for so long. In prison, he taught himself guitar and how to play basketball, but it was still a prison. One Pennsylvania family's happy life was suddenly turned upside down in the blink of an eye. You have permission to edit this article. Kenzie Houk had been shot in the back of the head. Yet they said that after Janessa went to live with her mothers family, she provided a third statement to authorities. reporters the boy also told his son he wanted to kill Kenzie and 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. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Without any help or treatment, he cant be rehabilitated. Despite the fact that the blended family had only just moved in together, they seemed to be bonding well. It was a decision that would haunt him from that day on. So how and why was Jordan finally exonerated? The girls are the children of Houks daughter, Kenzie Marie Houk, who died Feb. 20, 2009. Attorney Dennis Elisco said the evidence that will come out in trial will show that Jordan did not commit this crime. Now 16, Jordan was found to be responsible for the deaths. "When we interview someone, you expect them to give their account, wait a little while, we interview them again, and they should give the same account. Although law enforcement officials are not allowed to release the names of juveniles charged with a crime, the state police made Jordans name public because he has been charged as an adult. Rain earlythen remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Plus, he cannot be recharged with the same offense, according to the court's ruling, according to New Castle News. Brown told "Nightline" he was "heartbroken" and "sickened by the judge's ruling.". On the morning of Feb. 21, 2009, attorney Dennis Elisco met a boy who changed his life. experienced hunters at a turkey shoot. This being rural Pennsylvania, this was not uncommon and neither was Jordan knowing how to shoot. She said she also wishes things had gone differently between her family and Jordans father. It sounded to her like a gunshot, but when Jordan appeared none the worse for wear, he didnt think anything of it. Will you do the same? 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. Be Truthful. Kenzie Marie Houk, 26, shared the two-story white frame farmhouse on Wampum-New Galilee Road with her two daughters, her boyfriend Christopher Brown and Jordan, his son. This includes photographs, references to or the identities of the minor children. Jenessa Houk. Before the murder, there were multiple accounts of Houk being uncomfortable and tormented by Brown. Im not angry. Youth model guns generally lighter weight and with a shorter stock are typical of families that hunt, Bongivengo noted. A Bloomington-Normal music teacher has been sentenced to 88 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to sexual as. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Jordans conviction was eventually overturned due to insufficient evidence. (AP Photo/Thhe Houk Family). He went downstairs, got his clothes out of his soon-to-be bedroom and got dressed. She had been shot in the back of the neck. racist or sexually-oriented language. They interviewed 7-year-old Jenessa four times, but only recorded the fourth interview. Brown and his dad Christopher lived with Houk and her two small They called 911. Be Truthful. These are minor children, he said. Winds light and variable. We dont celebrate.. But he still had to wait until 2018 for his charges to be officially overturned. Jordan Brown's lawyers seek witness statements, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. As part of procedure, they had to interview him and even swabbed his hands for gunpowder residue just in case. came downstairs with two guns, but returned upstairs after Houk's More than two years after he was charged, the now-13-year-old was moved out of adult and back to juvenile court. Janessa told police that shed recalled seeing Jordan moving his guns that morning before school. accounts, the history behind an article. Police determined that Houk was killed with a single shot in the back of the head with a youth model shot gun. In all of this time, Chris has sat through hearings as if he does not care. Especially with the media frenzy surrounding the case. Hes insightful, hes intellectual, hes introspective. For Houk's daughters Jenessa and Adalynn, they face a life without a mother. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. She even had a stepson through Chris in the form of his 11-year-old son Jordan. The youngest child, 4-year-old Adalynn, stayed behind with Houk. In the suit, Houk asked that all reference to Adalynn Houk, 7, and Jenessa Houk, 11, be removed from the website. 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. I dont want pity, but sometimes I get so angry.. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Bongivengo pointed to that information as the reason for the second charge homicide of an unborn child. He doesn't appreciate the magnitude of what he's facing. After all, she already had two daughters from a previous relationship 7-year-old Jenessa and 4-year-old Adalynn. In it, the girl said she had heard a shotgun blast before she and Jordan had left the house to catch a school bus. 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. At around 9 a.m., some tree trimmers arrived to do some work around the house. They interviewed 7-year-old Jenessa four times, but only recorded the fourth interview. It wasnt that Kenzie was worried about the pregnancy, she was ready to have the baby and had plenty of practice being a mom. But eventually, he noted, the 7-year-old implicated him. Threats of harming another Their motion notes she did not testify at Jordans preliminary hearing March 29. New Castle News reports that it took merely three days for the judge in the trial to make the controversial ruling. 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. 54.38.94.71 Bongivengo noted there is no law requiring guns be locked up, although obviously thats the smart thing to do, the safe thing to do.. As an 11-year-old, Jordan was held at Edmund Thomas Adolescent Center in Erie County, Pennsylvania, until he stood trial. "Why should you get the things back that you had when you took so much you took two lives here. Jordan Brown talks about the confusion he felt for years following his detention in a juvenile delinquency facility for the death of 26-year-old Kenzie Marie Houk, in an interview with Juju. The girls receive counseling, she noted, but the family is trying to keep their lives as normal as possible. Threats of harming another accounts, the history behind an article. Browns lawyers appealed the conviction, which resulted in an overturning by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Kenzie in the head and pop both kids. More. After nine-and-a-half years, Chris Brown felt as if a great weight had been lifted off him and his family. The defense had requested disclosure of any statements Janessa had provided that day and in the days leading up to the hearing. Please sign the petition below to urge the courts to reopen Kenzie Marie Houks case and get justice. His ability to overcome adversity thats been thrown at him in life is astonishing. By that point, Jenessa had changed her story. I just dont get it.. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Prosecutors stand ready to bring the Jordan Brown case to its conclusion. Low 39F. But when a tree-service crew showed up at the house at 9, one of the workers observed Houk's 4-year-old daughter crying at the door that her mother was dead. Jordan Brown. She anticipates adding volleyball and track this year. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. "She has said to me, 'Grandma, I got up that morning, I went down to get mommy, I shook her and she wouldn't wake and she had blood on her back,'" Debbie Houk said. Jenessa woke Jordan up, and the two left for school together. "Chris was good about it. However, he noted officers had executed several search warrants, including one Friday that produced what they believe to be the murder weapon. It hurts.". No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism 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 . The 26-year-old shared the New Beaver Borough home with her fiance, Chris Brown, his son Jordan and her two daughters. Or, Jordan had killed his dad's fiance due to jealousy over the new baby, then went to school without missing a beat. "I wake up in the middle of the night and think I'm going to have an anxiety attack knowing that I'm never seeing her again. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Winds light and variable. However she was at the courthouse that day, they said, where she was interviewed by members of the district attorneys office and possibly members of the Pennsylvania state police prior to the hearing. Since Jordans adjudication and disposition the juvenile justice system equivalent of a guilty verdict and sentencing Houk family members have been present every six months when Lawrence County Judge John W. Hodge reviews the case. Browns son, Jordan, 14, is charged in her shooting death as well as the death of her unborn baby. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. "I think the judge's decision in this case is both disappointing, and I think, misinformed," said Lawrence Steinberg of Temple University. Up Next in news My Son Is Not a Monster October 20, 2018 It would be the last time he was home for years: the 11-year-old was going to be charged as an adult for Houk's murder, according toNew Castle News. Right now, Jenessa Houk lives in New Castle, PA. Jenessa maintains relationships with many people -- family, friends, associates, & neighbors -- including Kenneth Lauffer, Genevie Kelch, Stephanie Lauffer, Sherri Shaffer and Harold Cross. Jenessa Houk - PA Track and Field results and photos on Athletic.net 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. The boy faces life in prison, Bongivengo said, explaining the death penalty is not an option because of his age. mitsubishi rpm problem As the result of the investigation, which reportedly included statements from Janessa Houk who was 7 when the shooting occurred Jordan was charged with two counts of homicide in the death of Houk and her unborn child. Appealed the conviction, which resulted in an overturning by the Pennsylvania Supreme court March 29 right your! Told `` Nightline '' he was ] 11 years old when this happened, now 12 murder. The fantasy books his father brought for him by Brown her story right to your inbox that it merely..., said Debbie Houk, who loves to read, is charged in her shooting death as as... They took him to the court 's ruling, according to the hearing 'Do... Brought for him explain to a 12-year-old boy charged with committing murder at age 11 to tried., some tree trimmers arrived to do some work around jenessa houk interview house they 7-year-old! 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Murder, there were multiple accounts of Houk being uncomfortable and tormented by Brown life in prison, didnt.

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