Be Proactive. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Bongivengo explained that children between the ages of 10 and 18 normally are treated as juveniles. On February 20, 2009, 26-year-old Kenzie Marie Houk and her unborn son, Christopher were murdered. Rain earlythen remaining cloudy with showers overnight. A Bloomington-Normal music teacher has been sentenced to 88 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to sexual as. 2009. Be Nice. Jordan Brown Case: Grandmother asks childrens names, photos be removed from site, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. blanket and came back downstairs to Houk's bedroom and shot her in The district attorney said he works at Steelite, which is in an industrial park off Pulaski Road in Neshannock Township. disrespect her,"' Debbie Houk added. 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. or anything. We The site calls for financial support to provide Jordan with an effective defense. Wampum. Several times during Saturdays press conference, the district attorney said he could not comment, including when asked if the boy had confessed. Here, she stated that she had heard what sounded like a gun being fired while waiting for Jordan to get ready and leave the house with her. In the meantime, I keep them busy and they keep me busy.. Jordan, who has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 21, 2009, has never admitted guilt in the shooting. Their blended family dynamic seemed to be going well since the children all got along. Bongivengo who said no bond is normal in a homicide case noted the boy is segregated at the jail. Why Jordan Brown Was Exonerated After Being Convicted Of Murder At Age 11. something on the ground from his pocket before they got on the bus. He said the two were removed from school by state police after officers had learned of Houks death. Or, Jordan had killed his dad's fiance due to jealousy over the new baby, then went to school without missing a beat. Thats the same day Lawrence County President Judge Dominick Motto is scheduled to conduct a hearing on whether or not Jordan should continue to be treated as an adult. However there are exceptions including homicide that put a case into adult court. As an 11-year-old, Jordan was held at Edmund Thomas Adolescent Center in Erie County, Pennsylvania, until he stood trial. It wasnt that Kenzie was worried about the pregnancy, she was ready to have the baby and had plenty of practice being a mom. In the suit, Houk asked that all reference to Adalynn Houk, 7, and Jenessa Houk, 11, be removed from the website. On February 20, 1997, the fifth-grader followed his normal routine alongside 7-year-old Jenessa Houk, his soon-to-be step-sister, and left home at almost 8:15 in the morning for school. Facebook gives people the power to. Police say she initially said nothing unusual happened that morning before school. View the profiles of people named Janessa Houk. Meanwhile, Chris Brown was fighting for his childs innocence and lost his job because of it. Millions were watching this small Pennsylvania town. Adalynn said to serve her birthday cake after the memorial service, said Debbie Houk, who shares a birthday with her granddaughter. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. New biotech can 3D print living cells inside the human body, Ukraine will join NATO but in 'long- term', says NATO chief Stoltenberg, Finland begins building fence along Russia border. Be Proactive. Rain earlythen remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Hes insightful, hes intellectual, hes introspective. "When it was addressed, Chris said his son would never say such a word.". He called the situation tragic in every sense of the word.. For Houk's daughters Jenessa and Adalynn, they face a life without a mother. The fetus was viable and the death of the mother caused the death of the baby.. However, his lawyers continued to file appeals on his behalf, which resulted in a 50 verdict to overturn his conviction on July 18, 2018, by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. 20 A pregnant Kenzie Marie Houk, 26, is killed in the New Beaver Borough farmhouse she shared with her daughters Jenessa, 7, and Adalynn, 4 her fianc, Chris Brown, and . Bongivengo described Houks older daughter who will be 8 next month as the main witness. The boy faces life in prison, Bongivengo said, explaining the death penalty is not an option because of his age. But he had been at work during the shooting, so he couldnt have done it. Share with Us. Use the 'Report' link on This includes photographs, references to or the identities of the minor children. After all, she already had two daughters from a previous relationship - 7-year-old Jenessa and 4-year-old Adalynn. After attending court proceedings since Jordans arrest, Jack Houk said he does not think hell go to any more hearings. Jordan Brown's lawyers seek witness statements, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. He gets all the breaks. A beautician until she became pregnant for the third time, Kenzie Houk entertained her daughters by painting their fingernails, doing up their hair and putting on music and dancing with them, their grandmother said. 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. But the district attorneys office turned down the request on the grounds nothing Janessa has said had been put down in writing. Despite the fact that the blended family had only just moved in together, they seemed to be bonding well. It is not possible that it could have been anyone else.. Their photos should not be on the Internet., More in TIMELINE: Jordan Brown case (36of59). Yet they said that after Janessa went to live with her mothers family, she provided a third statement to authorities. Lawrence County District. Chris was running late for work and though his eight-months pregnant fiancee asked him to stay home, he decided that he should go into the office anyway. Low 39F. You have permission to edit this article. 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. He believed it had been a work truck and thought nothing of it. The worst pieces of circumstantial evidence, though, were that there was apparently traces of gunshot residue on his clothing and Jenessas recounting of that morning during her second police interview. So how and why was Jordan finally exonerated? Her death was the result of a homicide. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. The 26-year-old shared the New Beaver Borough home with her fiance, Chris Brown, his . You have permission to edit this article. You have permission to edit this article. When asked if Jordan had any problems in line with the Houks' comments, Brown said no. For now, it's a life interrupted for Jordan, as his lawyers begin the process of appealing the judge's decision. Rain earlythen remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Be Truthful. Kenzies death had been caused by a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, possibly by a 20-gauge shotgun.The Brown household held a number of handguns, rifles, shotguns, including a 20-gauge one, and several rounds of ammunition. In 2011, Amnesty International released a statement saying that due to Brown's age, his human rights were being violated, because he faced a lifetime in prison for something he was accused of in childhood. Stay at Home shutterstock.com A motion filed in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court asks for disclosure of all statements Janessa Houk has provided to authorities primarily those made in the early weeks of the investigation into the shooting death of her mother, Kenzie Houk. Jordans conviction was eventually overturned due to insufficient evidence. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Keep it Clean. pregnant fiance had been making threats about harming the woman for Low around 40F. Meanwhile, his father kept fighting for his freedom. Both girls are doing well in school, have friends and are surrounded by family, their grandmother said. Threats of harming another We were encouraged to enroll her in a program where she could compete and be trained by international coaches. Most children who are imprisoned have their case examined within a year at the most, while Jordan's case languished for years before he was even officially charged with anything (viaNew Castle News). But there was another suspect they weren't considering: Houk's ex-partner, Adam Harvey, who Houk was reportedly terrified of and she even had a protective order against him. Its a hard day for us. Share with Us. "So he knew what a gun did. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. PETE SIRIANNI | NEWS; May 18, 2018 May 18, 2018 Updated May 18, 2018; 0; Shenango's Jenessa Houk competes in the discus finals during the WPIAL championship meet at Baldwin High . daughters in a farmhouse in the rural western Pennsylvania town of She said the girls have seen photos and tapes of their mother and remark on her beautiful smile and that she always looked happy. 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. He doesn't appreciate the magnitude of what he's facing. Three years after Kenzie Houks murder, the trial, held at juvenile court, found Jordan Brown, then 14-years-old, guilty. "Worse thing is losing your daughter," said Houk's mother Debbie Houk. God bless those khakis! or anything. On the morning of Feb. 21, 2009, attorney Dennis Elisco met a boy who changed his life. The 26-year-old shared the New Beaver Borough home with her fiance, Chris Brown, his son Jordan and her two daughters. At 11 or 12, Debbie Houk recalled, Kenzie was involved in gymnastics and took part in national competition in Nashville, Tenn. She finished sixth, her mother said. They now had the unfortunate responsibility to contact Chris Brown and tell him that not only was Kenzie been killed, so had his unborn baby. Kenzie Houks family is coming along since she was taken from them five years ago. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. But the day took a tragic turn around 9 a.m. when Adalynn was found crying in the doorway of their Wampum, Pennsylvania home by a landscaper. In prison, Jordan spent a majority of his time reading fiction, learning guitar, and playing basketball, so hes now hoping to continue that. 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, Live stream: Jordan Brown news conference, Our view | Disorder in the court: Nine years far too long to decide homicide case, Jordan Brown released, but case remains under appeal, 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'll never cook that turkey. reporters the boy also told his son he wanted to kill Kenzie and 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. The killer had shot Houk while she was lying in bed, watching TV, and then cleaned the shotgun and put it back in its place. Family and friends gathered at the grave Thursday the fifth anniversary followed by a meal at the family home. Hes hoping to get reimbursement for the gas money his father spent to come and see him every day, but this case could also attain him much more. The bus driver testified that neither child appeared to behave strangely. "When I spoke to the preacher he said to me, 'Do you realize that you actually held an angel, because we are all born into the world of sin, and this baby never was.'". Jordan Brown. He said that after the older two children had left for school, she turned on the television and got herself something to eat. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Jordan lived at the Edmund L. Thomas Adolescent Detention Center for three years before his trial, and was later moved to other facilities. racist or sexually-oriented language. ", While Brown describes his son as the "happy- go-lucky" quarterback of his Pee Wee football team, members of Houk's family describe Jordan as a "troubled kid.". He was finally exonerated by the Supreme Court of the charges that had defined much of his childhood. She had a message to relay to the person who noticed her distress: her mom, Kenzie Houk, was dead. We'd love to hear eyewitness He's not there with the Boy Scouts. Jordan assured them that he hadnt touched any gun that morning, but the smell of gunpowder and the youth model shotgun in the home told a different story. If he does, the decisions would fall to the judge. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, The graves are decorated for holidays and special occasions, including Kenzies April 20 birthday and the anniversary of her death. Each day Debbie Houk visits her daughter and grandson's grave while Chris Brown makes the four-hour round trip to visit his son in a juvenile detention center. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. In the environment that he's in, a child like that is going to break down and his story has not changed from day one. Houks 7-year-old daughter told police she saw Brown quickly cover something in a blue blanket. Brown is being held at the Lawrence County Jail, in a cell The judgment was that the evidence against Jordan was insufficient and circumstantial, so he was exonerated and can never be retried in the matter. They called 911. a good shot. 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. Supreme Court case banning the death penalty for juveniles in 2005. Although not an eyewitness, the district attorney said, she was there at the time of the shooting, she heard it and she saw Jordan with the shotgun. He said Jordan can petition to have his case transferred to juvenile court and he can request bond. Chance of rain 60%.. daughter," she said. Im not religious, but this is what were told to do. I am seeking justice for Kenzie Marie Houk, her unborn son, Christopher, and their loved ones. The blanket was found at the scene with a singed, quarter-sized hole. As a result of this attack, both she and her unborn child passed, but Jordan was apprehended the very next day. "Mentally, he's gotten quite an education there," Brown said of the 13-months his son has spent in the facility. She first said she didn't see anything unusual with Jordan that morning, but by the fourth interview, Jenessa claimed she saw Jordan moving around his shotgun the morning her mom died. Looking back, I wish we had. 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. Jordan had even begun referring to Kenzie as mom. He was happy to have a little brother and would even have his own room once the baby was born. Their court filing states Janessa was present the entire time Jordan was at the home that morning. Eventually, at 14, Jordan was found delinquent and sentenced to be held at juvie until 21. Now 16, Jordan was found to be responsible for the deaths. He said Saturday the two girls are with their maternal grandmother. The family was interviewed immediately after Houk's death. He noted he had spent the previous two hours with Jordans father and described him as a mess. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Investigators believed with substantial evidence, that the son of Houk . This includes photographs, references to or the identities of the minor. Ignatz confirmed that, noting that while the district attorney was addressing the media, police were executing another search warrant at the home where Houk had been killed. He hopes to try and gain justice for the nearly 10 years of his childhood and teenage life that he spent behind bars. At the same time, officers had been dispatched to Mohawk Elementary School to speak to Janessa and Jordan. 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. These ventures are why the latter bought a youth-sized 20-gauge shotgun for his son, which the police considered the murder weapon. Attorney Dennis A. Elisco, who is representing Jordan, confirmed Christopher Brown was the father of Houks baby. Authorities ruled her death a homicide. dangers of a gun.". 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. The Illinois Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to sexual as, found Jordan,! Learned of Houks baby said had been put down in writing the driver! 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