PRESSER: Houston police announce arrests in Houston jugging that left woman paralyzed
Houston police say two suspects are in custody in the robbery that left Nhung Truong paralyzed last month. Houston police say Joseph Harrell, 17, and Zy’Nika Ayesha Woods, 19, are both charged with Aggravated Robbery with Serious Bodily Injury.
HOUSTON – Houston police say a suspect is in custody in a robbery that left a woman paralyzed last month.
In a press conference on Friday at 2 p.m., Houston police say Joseph Harrell, 17, and Zy’Nika Ayesha Woods, 19, are both charged with Aggravated Robbery with Serious Bodily Injury for the violent robbery in Houston that left a woman paralyzed. Police say Harrell was also said to be involved in a previous case.
MORE: Woman left paralyzed after robber body slammed her to the ground
The suspected jugging incident occurred while the woman, Nhung Truong, 44, was walking in front of a shopping center in the 9800 block of Bellaire around 11:30 a.m. Feb. 13.
Investigators say Truong had withdrawn money from the Bank of America on Blackhawk Blvd near the Beltway and was followed by the suspect nearly 24 miles away to the shopping center.
According to police, the woman reported that she was approached by a man who grabbed her and tried to take an envelope with cash that she was holding.
Woman bodyslammed during jugging robbery in Houston
Watch as a suspect commits a violent robbery on one woman after allegedly following her after she visited a bank and was later body slammed to the ground.
Police say Truong dropped her belongings on the ground, and the man ran away with what he thought was the envelope. Seconds later, authorities say the suspect returned, picked Truong up, body-slammed her to the ground, and ran away with the envelope.
MORE: Houston woman body slammed to the ground during jugging robbery
Investigators say they were able to find surveillance video of the license plate the suspects were in. They were eventually able to locate the vehicle and determine Woods was the driver.
Woods was said to be detained for a traffic violation and confessed to officials she took part in the robbery. Harrell was brought in for a separate case, and he too reportedly confessed to being part of the robbery against Truong with Woods.
The attack damaged the 44-year-old’s spinal cord and left her paralyzed, unable to walk or use the bathroom by herself. Instead, the single mom has to rely on a wheelchair and help from her three kids who are 13, 15, and 20-years-old and still in school.
Woman left paralyzed after violent robbery in Houston
A woman was left paralyzed after a man robbed her and then body-slammed her to the ground. Houston police are asking for the public’s help to identify the assailant. FOX 26’s Natalie Hee reports on the story and spoke with the victim and her family.
The family tells FOX 26 the suspect stole about $4,300 from them. Truong had apparently been saving up to visit her family in Vietnam that she hadn’t seen in nearly six years.
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“I’m feeling very horrible and sad at the same time,” said Truong.
After the jugging robbery, doctors have told the family there’s only a 50-percent chance Truong will fully recover.
According to court records, Woods’s bond has been set to $50,000. Bond has not yet been confirmed for Harrell in connection with this case.
