Texas 10-Year-Old Victim’s Twin Wanted to Help But Afraid of Punishment

DALLAS -A father and stepmother of twin boys were arrested Wednesday and charged with injury to a child after police said they denied one of the 10-year-old boys, Jonathan James, water over a period of five days as punishment. He died on July 25, MyFoxDallas-Fort Worth reports.

The boys grandmother, Sue Shotwell, says that his brother Joseph knew what was happening and wanted to help but was afraid he would be punished as well.

Police said Jonathan died because of dehydration and his father and stepmother, Michael James and Tina Alberson, were responsible.

Shotwell said Jonathan and his twin brother Joseph were spending the summer with their biological father because of a court ordered custody arrangement. But the boy’s were reluctant to go, she said.

"I did tell him, 'I don't want you to feel guilty because there's nothing you could do.' And he says, 'I wish I had snuck him some water,'" she said.

She is now concerned about Joseph’s wellbeing. He apparently watched Jonathan collapse and continues to relive the moment he lost his twin.

Shotwell said there are a lot of things she’ll miss about her grandson.

“His smile, his laugh, his running in and out of the door saying, ‘Love you, Meme,’” she said.

If convicted, James and Alberson could face up to 99 years in prison.

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10-Year-Old Victim’s Twin Wanted to Help: MyFoxDFW.com