Nicole Hernandez
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CANDID ID: TX_23_1550
AGE
6   years
STATE
Texas
DATE OF DEATH
1/3/2023
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
Six-year-old Nicole Hernandez was fatally shot in the head by her mother in an apparent murder-suicide at their home on Vernal Glen Circle in Spring, Harris County, Texas, on or around January 3, 2023. The mother reportedly shot Nicole before turning the gun on herself. The mother had been experiencing marital problems with Nicole's father, from whom she had been separated since October, and had been suffering from depression and struggling with her mental health for several months. The bodies were discovered by the mother's two teenage children — a 13-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy from a prior relationship — who had last seen their mother on Monday evening and assumed she had gone to bed early.
Contexts/Conditions

Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?

Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?

Is there any mention of a firearm incident?

The medical examiner report (TX_23_1550.pdf) identifies the cause of death as "Gunshot wound of the head." The click2houston article states the victims had "possible gunshot wounds," and the ABC13 article describes the mother and daughter as "found shot to death" and refers to "the gun."

Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?

Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

The medical examiner report (TX_23_1550.pdf) states the cause of death was "Gunshot wound of the head" and manner of death was "Homicide." The news articles describe the mother allegedly killing the child by shooting her. The click2houston article states the victims "appear to have sustained possible gunshot wounds," and the ABC13 article describes the mother "killing her 6-year-old daughter before turning the gun on herself."

Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?

Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?

Both news articles explicitly describe the incident as a murder-suicide. The click2houston article states: "Deputies are investigating an apparent murder-suicide after a woman and her 6-year-old daughter were found dead inside a home." The ABC13 article states: "Law enforcement is investigating Tuesday's incident, where a mother and daughter were found shot to death at a home in Spring, as a murder-suicide."

Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?

Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?

Is there any mention of sexual abuse?

Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?

Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?

Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?

Individuals Involved

Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?

Was a biological father involved in the death?

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

The ABC13 article describes "a mother allegedly killing her 6-year-old daughter before turning the gun on herself." The click2houston article describes it as "an apparent murder-suicide after a woman and her 6-year-old daughter were found dead." The biological mother is identified as the perpetrator in this murder-suicide.

Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?

Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?

Was a foster parent involved in the death?

Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?

Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)

Was a sibling involved in the death?

Child Characteristics

Was the child adopted?

Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?

Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?

Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?

Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)

Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)

Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?

Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?

Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?

Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?

Parent/Caregiver Factors

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

The ABC13 article explicitly connects this case to domestic violence: "This adds to the bigger conversation across Harris County about domestic violence homicides that Gonzalez said continue to hit our community hard. In 2022, more than 30% of the murders across the county were domestic violence related." Additionally, the click2houston article notes the mother "was having marital problems with the 6-year-old girl's father" and that "the couple had been separated since October." The ABC13 article also quotes the ex-husband: "She had really anger management issues when she would get mad. She would go crazy." While these references contextualize the killing within a domestic violence framework, the domestic violence is implied by the broader framing rather than explicitly stated as a behavior pattern of the caregiver prior to the fatal incident.

Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?

Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?

The click2houston article explicitly states: "the woman had been depressed for several months and struggling with her mental health." The ABC13 article corroborates this: "The sheriff said the child's father and the woman accused of killing her were having marital problems, and she was depressed." Additionally, the ABC13 article quotes the ex-husband describing anger management issues: "She had really anger management issues when she would get mad. She would go crazy."

Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Lives Cut Short