& # 39; Cowards & # 39; placed boy, 7, under the water in the bathtub that parents watch during the invasion of the house, says the sheriff

A 7-year-old boy was dipped in a bathtub during a home invasion in Texas on Monday, officials said.

(FOX26)

Authorities released new details after a Texas family was terrorized on Monday by three masked intruders who placed a child under water in a bathtub to force information from his parents while They were screaming in the background.

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said in a press release that he had received a call around 3 pm from the home near the intersection of FM 1464 and Westpark Toll Road in the Houston area Fort Bend County.

The owner told the police that three black masked suspects crossed the front door and hit him, causing injuries.

"It's the worst kind of crime against a family," said Sheriff Troy Nehls. "Three scammers who are making their way into a house in the middle of the night are horrible." To make matters worse, they have accosted a 7-year-old child.These are cowards, that's the least that's can say.

Nehls said the father kept telling intruders that there was no money and to take jewelry or a car, but the masked men were not satisfied.

"It did not go well with the suspects in this case," he said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"The seven-year-old boy must see his father being tortured, basically, when it did not work, they tortured the seven-year-old boy." For me yesterday, I said that it was very sick. do something like that to a child. "

– Detective Justin White

The men then turned to the 7-year-old son of the couple, who was driven around the house in search of money, according to the sheriff. Police have published photos of the three suspects in the house, including the moment when one of the men tries to make sure that the boy finds where a large amount of money has been stored.

"We have audio and video from inside this house," Nehls said. "You can hear shrieks from all the family members inside this house."

One of the masked men then placed the 7-year-old son in a bathtub with hot water to get information about the possessions at home.

"You can hear when the tub was filling with water," Nehls said. "Then all of a sudden the screaming choked because it's right under the water."

Detective Justin White told reporters that the boy had been used as a "lever" by the suspects.

"The seven-year-old must watch his father to be tortured," he said on Tuesday. "When that did not work, they tortured the seven year old and for me, yesterday, I said that it was very sick and I would add that this It's wrong to do something like this to a child. "

Nehls said that the boy had been transported to Texas Medical Center and that he was being treated to have fluids in his lungs. He also said that even though the bath water was hot, it was not enough to cause burns to the boy.

MALE MEN TERRORIZE THE TEXAS FAMILY DURING INVASION AT HOME, SAYS OFFICIALS

The three men left with money, jewelry and also took the family phones after the ordeal for one hour, according to police. The owner was a small business owner and had a large amount of money in the house, according to Nehls, who did not go into more details.

While the police did not identify the victims, Mohamad Ghiri told the KPRC on Monday that he thought his brother was just late for work but that finally, in person, he could see the man. horror of his face and description of the terrifying incident.

"I saw it all bloody and a gash on the head," Ghriri told KRPC. "He was shaken, I tried to calm him down but he was just worried about his son."

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at Fort Bend County, Inc. at (281) 342-TIPS (8477) or to submit a tip online at www.fortbend.crimestoppersweb. com. A $ 25B reward is offered for information leading to arrest.

"I've never seen, in my career, someone trying to use a boy to try to get information from the father," the sheriff said Tuesday. "We have to take them out of the street."