A Friday morning tip led police to a disturbing scene in north Houston, where a group of people have been held against their will in what authorities are calling a "prison room."
Officers with the Houston Police Department arrived at 8646 White Castle Lane, near the intersection of Veterans Memorial and Gulf Bank, to find the home's front door nailed shut.
After prying their way inside, police discovered four malnourished men aged between 65 and 80 living in a trash-filled converted garage without beds or chairs. One gentleman told officials he'd been at the location for nearly a decade.
Physically unable to walk, three of the four men were rushed to Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital.
"They clearly stated to us they were being held against their will," HPD spokeperson Jodi Silva explains to the Houston Chronicle, adding that the garage had no access to a bathroom and that the men were fed scraps.
"One of them seemed to think he was picked up off the street and brought here," sergeant J.W. McCoy tells KTRK Eyewitness news. "In exchange for beer and cigarettes and a place to stay, he had to turn over his Social Security check."
At least three other women, all reportedly suffering from mental illness, also were found inside along with a suspect who has been taken into custody. No charges have been filed.
Adult Protective Services for the state of Texas have been contacted to assist with the situation. Stay tuned to CultureMap as more details emerge.
Watch the KHOU CH. 11 report:
Up to eight people were held captive in a north Houston home.
