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Public Safety Press Releases

Posted on: April 5, 2022

Second Arrest Made in Injury to a Child Case

Denton Police Department Media Release

DENTON, TX, April 5, 2022 – The Denton Police Department has made a second arrest today in connection to the death of a 7-year-old boy that occurred on April 1. 

As previously released, on April 1, at approximately 7:29 p.m., Denton PD and Denton FD were dispatched to reports of an unconscious person in the 1600 block of E. McKinney Street. The caller reported that a child inside of the residence was having a medical emergency. Medics arrived on scene to transport the child to a local hospital, and they notified officers that the child had suspicious and extensive injuries. The child was pronounced deceased at the hospital. 

As part of their investigation, detectives interviewed the child’s mother and the mother’s boyfriend, who both resided with the child. The mother’s boyfriend, Todd Shaw, was arrested on an Injury to a Child warrant on April 2.

As the investigation progressed, detectives interviewed the mother of the child, Sabrina Ho, for the second time. During the interview, Ho admitted she had been aware of the ongoing physical abuse Shaw was subjecting her child to. She also admitted to keeping the child out of school and intentionally neglecting to seek medical care for his injuries to conceal the signs of abuse. 

On April 5, detectives applied for an arrest warrant for Injury to a Child, which was granted. Detectives arrested Ho on this warrant, and she is currently at the City of Denton Jail awaiting arraignment. 

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office has publicly identified the child as 7-year-old Phoenix Ho. Phoenix was a second-grade student enrolled in a local elementary school. 

Tragedies such as this one touch our entire community. This death is a painful reminder of what we are all fighting to prevent during this April Child Abuse Awareness Month. 

 

Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas: 972-317-2818

Denton County Friends of the Family 24-Hour Crisis Hotline: 940-382-7273

In an emergency, always call 911

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