Toddler killed in fight over stray cat

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A toddler was killed last week when he got caught between two brothers in a violent struggle over a stray cat inside a northwest Houston apartment, police said.

Avery Rhodes Williams, 2, was stabbed in the chest during the fight that broke out shortly after 3 p.m. Friday inside an apartment along the 5700 block of Thousand Oaks Circle.

The child was pronounced dead at Memorial Hermann Hospital, police said.

Avery and his mother were visiting the apartment when the fight broke out between two brothers, an unnamed 16-year-old and Keenan Bernard Conner, 23.

The 16-year-old accused in the slaying brought home a stray cat to the apartment a few days ago, police said.

"The older brother didn't want the cat there," said P.J. Guerrero, a Houston police homicide detective.

Conner, the boyfriend of Avery's mother, threatened to throw the cat into the complex's swimming pool — only a few feet from the apartment.

At some point during the struggle, the 16-year-old pulled out a large-bladed kitchen knife.

"They were fighting over the knife, and the child was stabbed," Guerrero said.

Avery's mother, who lives with Conner in another unit at the complex, was trying to pull her son to safety when he was struck by the knife, police said.

The 16-year-old was taken into custody for questioning. He is being held in juvenile detention for aggravated assault against Conner and still faces additional charges for the slaying of the child, police said.

The case remains under investigation, detectives said.

Family members could not be reached for comment Sunday. Other residents at the complex said they didn't know any details about the incident or of those who were involved.

This is absolutely tragic. I don't have words to express what I'm feeling after reading that...

He is being held in juvenile detention for aggravated assault against Conner and still faces additional charges for the slaying of the child, police said.