HOUSTON – Family members have released the identity of the woman who was shot and killed in a murder-suicide on Sunday afternoon outside a children’s hospital in west Harris County.
According to investigators, the woman, identified as Kenia Osoria, and her 8-year-old daughter were at Texas Children’s Hospital - west campus to seek medical attention for an unknown reason. Around 2 p.m., the mother was shot by a man who police say she was possibly dating.
Osoria was taken inside the hospital in critical condition but later died. Her daughter was uninjured.
The suspect is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
The motive for the shooting is unknown.
Family remembers victim
Osoria’s brother, Carlos Rivera, told KPRC 2 that his sister was an incredibly hard-working mother, generous and wouldn’t give up regardless of the situation that would come her way.
“From my point, only God knows why these things happen, even though we’re hurting emotionally now,” Rivera said.
He said he does not want his sister’s death to just be another number for the statistics and for people to wake up and reflect.
“Be closer to your loved ones and take advantage of every minute you get with them because you never know when it’s going to be the last time you see them,” Rivera said. “At the end, love will always cast out fear.”
Why is there an uptick in domestic violence cases during the holidays?
Wykesha Dixon, deputy director of Bay Area Turning Point, Inc., said the holidays bring additional stress but the community fails to realize it escalates even more in households dealing with domestic violence.
“During the holidays, we all think ‘exciting time, celebrating, family’ right? However, what we fail to realize for people who are in domestic violence relationships is that additional stress,” Dixon said.
She said one of the red flags to look for during the holiday season in domestic violence cases is the isolation period.
“If you notice that your family member or your friend isn’t being engaged in the activities, like gatherings ... and they may have typically been, that can be a red flag, especially if they’ve dropped hints of being in a toxic relationship,” Dixon said.
In 2021, she said a total of 41 people lost their lives due to domestic violence during the holiday season.
“You think it may not be you, these 41 individuals, I’m sure they didn’t think it would be them either,” Dixon said.
She noted that the goal is to seek help.
“Safety first, plan it out, of course leaving is one the most dangerous times for people in domestic violence relationships,” Dixon said.
For those in need of help, please contact Bay Area Turning Point at 281-286-2525 or contact the Houston Area Women’s Center hotline at 713-528-2121 24 hours a day. You can also live chat online at HAWC.org.
Domestic violence during the holidays: Houston Area Women’s Center offers resources