Oninda Romelus said the way the world is portraying her “is a lie.” In an exclusive interview, she explained what she says happened on a fateful day in October.
BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas — A mother accused of shooting her four children — killing two of them — proclaimed her innocence in an exclusive KHOU 11 Investigates interview from inside the Brazoria County Jail.
Oninda Romelus, 31, who is being held on a $14 million bond, said the way the world is portraying her “is a lie.”
“I’m not crazy. I’m not a monster,” Romelus said during two conversations from jail totaling about an hour and a half.
The case drew national headlines after Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office deputies found Romelus’ four children shot inside her car on Oct. 4 at a gas station along Highway 288 near Angleton. They said O’Karreo Covington, 13, and Amourra Chappel, 3, died in the shooting. Siblings Kylee Romelius, 9, and Traviel Downer, 8, survived.
“We need multiple ambulances,” first responders were heard saying in emergency radio traffic recordings from the scene. KHOU 11 previously aired parts of those recordings.
From jail, Romelus told KHOU 11 Investigative Reporter Jeremy Rogalski that she left her home in Montgomery County early that Saturday morning because she believed her ex was stalking her. She said she was planning to stay in a hotel, but ran into car trouble and was searching for a 24-hour mechanic shop.
While driving, she said her oldest son, O’Karreo, suddenly snapped.
“My oldest has a history of psychotic episodes threatening people,” Romelus said. “He has a long track record.”
She also claimed that her son had secretly taken her guns from their home when they left and that she didn’t realize he had them with him.
“I remember my oldest aiming the gun at me,” she told KHOU 11. “I swear to God my son was growling at me … (I told him) ‘What the f***? Stop. Stop. Stop.'”
When asked what happened next, Romelus said she couldn’t talk about it because the jail conversation was being recorded. Her version of what happened contradicts the account from Brazoria County authorities.
“We believe that the evidence shows that this tragedy occurred inside the vehicle, and that Romelus, the mother of the children, is the shooter,” Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman said during an Oct. 5 news conference.
Court records paint an even more disturbing picture. According to a charging document, Romelus allegedly told investigators her children were “with the devil” and that “instead of them doing it to me, I’m gonna do it to them.” When investigators asked, “Do what?” the court document states Romelus responded: “Kill them all.”
When Rogalski asked Romelus about the alleged comments, she denied making them.
“I swear my hand before God, I don’t remember any of that,” she said.
Romelus described herself as a Christian who prays every day.
She is charged with two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The lead investigator on the case for the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office had no comment about her claims, and Romelus’ defense attorney, Carey Faden, also had no comment.
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