Santa Fe TX May 10 2013 While the Internet provides a wealth of information just one click away, sometimes it's better to dial good old "911."On Wednesday, at 1:47 AM, police in Santa Fe, Texas received a call from the Mainland Center Hospital that a 14-year-old boy had been admitted with a gunshot injury to his thigh. A surveillance video in the boy's home revealed he had received the wound more than seven hours earlier, according to a statement provided to Yahoo! Shine by Captain Wayne Kessler, of the Santa Fe Police Department. Why the delay? His mother (who has not been identified) was searching WebMD.
The video also revealed the identity of the shooter. Police have arrested 24-year-old Pete Jesse Rodriguez and charged him with Injury to a Child with Intent to Commit Serious Bodily Injury. The video shows Rodriguez, who lives at the same residence, pointing a gun at the teen (who has not been named), following his movements, and pulling the trigger. According to the release, "The victim was shot once in the upper left thigh with a high caliber bullet. The teen lay on the floor several minutes before getting up."
Fortunately, for her child, the mother's Internet search convinced her that his condition was critical and that she should seek medical help. The boy is currently in stable condition at another hospital. Authorities are considering pressing felony charges against the mother for Injury to a Child by Omission.
According to police reports, Rodriguez was also arrested earlier this year and in 2011. Neighbors told local KHOU News that the house is located in a quiet, rural area where you are more likely to hear chickens than gunshots.