Mother of Athens woman accused of murdering 4-year-old arrested
Published 4:20 pm Tuesday, March 14, 2023
- Mary Johnson.jpg
Another arrest has been made in connection with the death of a 4-year-old East Texas child.
On Monday, law enforcement said Monica Figueroa, of Athens, was arrested and is accused of killing her child, Grayson Hurt, 4. On Tuesday, law enforcement released more information and said the child’s grandmother, Mary Johnson, was also arrested in connection with the death.
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Figueroa was charged with capital murder in connection the child’s death, according to a press release from Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse.
At 6:41 a.m. Monday, the Athens Police Department received a call from Johnson, who is Figueroa’s mother, for service to Figueroa’s home on Mitchell Street.
“She told police she was afraid that Figueroa had hurt her son,” Hillhouse said.
When officers arrived at the home, they located Figueroa. Officers entered the home with emergency medical personnel and “found the deceased child inside the door, partially covered with a blanket,” Hillhouse said.
Athens police officers then obtained a search warrant signed by 392nd District Judge Scott McKee to search the home. The Athens Police Department also contacted the Henderson County Crimes Against Children Task Force to assist in the investigation.
The initial investigation indicates the child was killed with an edged weapon.
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Hillhouse said on Tuesday that while working through the crime scene and conducting interviews, investigators learned the child was killed Sunday mid-afternoon. According to Hillhouse, Johnson “had actually observed Monica Figueroa on top of a rolled up blanket cutting it with a wooden-handled knife.”
“Johnson heard Grayson screaming before she observed Figueroa cutting at the blanket and then the screaming stopped,” Hillhouse said. “Figueroa threatened Johnson and instructed her to leave which she did.”
Johnson came back tot he home the next morning and found the child dead, Hillhouse said, at which time she called police.
Johnson was arrested and booked into the Henderson County Jail on a $250,000 bond for endangering a child.
Hillhouse told CBS19 Figueroa confessed to killing her son when she was being questioned. He also said Figueroa only had one child in her home as she doesn’t have custody of her other children.
An autopsy will be conducted by the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Science in Dallas.
In addition to the Athens Police Department and the Crimes Against Children’s Task Force, the investigation includes the Henderson County District Attorney’s Office, the Texas Rangers, and Child Protective Services.
This is an ongoing investigation.