Authorities have reported 16 drownings across Harris County in 2024 alone, most of them discovered in similar conditions, and many families of the victims are demanding answers. What some consider a tragic coincidence, others view as something far more sinister.
Mayor John Whitmire has publicly rejected claims of a killer on the loose, saying earlier this month: “We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston, Texas.”
“Unfortunately the homeless, when they pass, often end up in the bayou.” he said during a recent press briefing, urging residents not to panic.
However, some families say his comments feel dismissive. Among them is Lauren Freeman, whose cousin, Kenneth Cutting Jr., was one of the victims. She accused the mayor of ‘gaslighting’ the city by brushing off growing concerns instead of addressing what she believes is a serious pattern of deaths.
He continued, emphasizing how many similar deaths have occurred recently: “There’s been so many of ’em in the last three years.”
His father remains convinced that something more sinister happened to his son, telling Fox News Digital: “Something happened to my son. My son didn’t fall into the bayou and drown.”
She’s not alone. Another victim, 27-year-old Anthony Curry, was also pulled from a Houston bayou earlier this year. Officials ruled his death an accidental drowning, though toxicology tests found PCP and alcohol in his system. Still, Curry’s family has questioned that conclusion, insisting he wouldn’t have willingly gone near the water.
His sister, Alexis Curry, told Click 2 Houston: “That ain’t my brother. He’ll go somewhere and chill off before he just go jump in some water.”
“I really want to know what happened,” she said, her voice breaking as she called for more transparency from investigators.
