KIRBY, Texas – Five years after his father severely beat him, a Kirby boy has died, and his father now faces a capital murder charge, police say.
Kirby police arrested Rex L. Hollins on Tuesday in connection with the death of his son, Zane Hollins.
The 38-year old man was convicted of child abuse in 2019 and sentenced to three years in prison. He was released on probation in July of this year.
According to Sgt. Michael Alonzo, the incident happened in December 2015 at a home in the 200 block of Jeanke Street in Kirby.
The arrest affidavit said Hollins told police he shook the then-6-month-old child and slammed him into a swing when he wouldn’t stop crying. Doctors told police then the child suffered head bleeding and a broken rib and leg.
Police say Zane was never the same and required a lot of care after the abuse.
According to the arrest affidavit, police were called to the home on Jeanke Street in June 2020 when Zane was found dead. The medical examiner’s office said the boy’s cause of death was due to complications of remote blunt force head injuries and classified his death as a homicide.
Alonzo said it’s rare to have this type of charge after several years, but it does happen.
“It’s very possible (if) somebody sustains injuries, and then several years later, they die as a result of those injuries. Yes, that person can be held responsible for that person’s death simply because you can state that that person would not have died if he or she did not incur those injuries at the time of the original assault,” Alonzo said.
This is the first time in more than 20 years that the city of Kirby has seen a capital murder case, Alonzo said. But he says child abuse happens everywhere and urges parents to seek help or step back if they feel frustrated with their child.
“Take a break. I mean, we all have our breaking point, unfortunately, and we see it way too often in the news. And kids, unfortunately, suffer, you know, for no reason whatsoever other than to just cry.”
If you suspect child abuse, report it to the state by calling 210-252-5400.
KSAT held a special town hall meeting last month, click here to learn more about how you can help stop child abuse.