HOUSTON -- A Harris County grand jury has indicted Lucas Coe on a charge of sexually assaulting 4-year-old Emma Thompson, the little girl he's accused of killing.
The Spring girl died at a Woodlands hospital on June 27. The autopsy showed Emma had "80 contusions, a severe head laceration, a scalp hemorrhaging, skull fracture, internal bleeding, a severe tear and hemorrhaging to the vagina."
The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the abdominal area which had caused several internal injuries.
Emma's mother, Abigail Elizabeth Young, initially told investigators Emma was hurt when she fell out of bed.
"The statements given by both the mother of the child and the boyfriend were inconsistent with injuries presented," said Anthony Kelly, who worked on the case.
Coe and Young were both arrested and charged with felony injury to a child.
CPS began investigating the family in early June after Emma's father called to report she was covered in bruises. Her pediatrician had also contacted CPS because he suspected blisters in her mouth and genital area were caused by genital herpes.
An exam at Texas Children's Hospital found no evidence of sexual abuse so CPS didn't remove Emma from the home. Weeks later, she was dead.
Because of Emma's case, CPS decided to use more aggressive procedures when investigating allegations of abuse in children with sexually transmitted diseases.
Emma's two sisters have been placed with grandparents.
Sheriff's detectives say they are looking into every child the couple has come into contact with, including Coe's own 4-year-old daughter.
CPS also had investigated Coe three times in unrelated cases involving another girlfriend's child. He has a criminal history that includes charges of assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief.
Coe remains jailed without bond.
If convicted, he and Young could be sentenced up to life in prison.
Editor's Note: The Houston Chronicle contributed to this story
lbrando said on November 5, 2009 at 1:58 PM
This was such a sad case and a great example on how CPS is worthless !!! They take children away from the homes that don't deserve it and leave children in home to die that should have been taken away. CPS is a sorry excuse for child protection. Everyone involved needs to spend a long time in jail including the case worker who allowed this child to stay in this home.
fiscusd said on November 5, 2009 at 2:24 PM
The man is a monster....nothing less. How can you be so inhuman. Why is this not a death penalty case? Life in prison is not enough punishment for what this beast did to this child. I will also never understand how a mother can let anyone do this to their child.
misssunshine said on November 5, 2009 at 2:33 PM
He is satan and his girlfriend ("mother of the chld") is too. This is horrible and heartbreaking. This is why single moms need to be careful who they date because it seems you can't trust anyone..
missprissy said on November 5, 2009 at 2:57 PM
All I can say is.................................. what a beautiful little girl.
madeintexas said on November 5, 2009 at 3:05 PM
God bless this baby. if my ex-husband ever noticed bruises all over my daughters body, he would not let her come home under any circumstances. I am not blaming the dad in any way, but I think I would have kept my baby with me. She could have called the police, but at least then someone would have seen the bruises besides CPS.
missprissy said on November 5, 2009 at 3:22 PM
NO this child biological father should have kept her and taken her to the doctor himself instead of just threatening to do so. I don't blame him for her death but I do blame him for not taking the time and energy to take her to the doctor to find out what was wrong with her instead of sending Mommy Dearest. Does anyone really think she would have told him about the herpes....... I think probably not.
stjakk said on November 5, 2009 at 4:02 PM
How horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....What a sad and tragic thing to have happened to this little angel!!!!.........this story has just ruined the rest of my day........i am heartbroken and furious at the same time..........................P.S. the new format SUKKS!!!!.
staceylou said on November 5, 2009 at 4:40 PM
I think I am going to be sick. Poor precious baby. May the people involved rot in hell.
worldman said on November 5, 2009 at 4:53 PM
This is a horrible thing and this is one time that the information is "maybe" to graphic. Sad this had to happen. Also, the new formatt is terrible. This will be the last time I will use this website.
freeminded said on November 5, 2009 at 6:25 PM
This new format sucks!!
itscoldinhere said on November 5, 2009 at 7:30 PM
These people should die!!! Raped and tortured like they did this baby! Worldman is right- too graphic!! Format still sucks.
turner397 said on November 5, 2009 at 8:05 PM
Oh boy,, have I got a comment for this one! Everyone opposed to abortion better take a long hard look at such as this case. What would have been better for this child? The short abused life that she did live or never to have been born at all. Either way it's wrong, but, either way she ends up in Gods hands. She was was a true innocent victim.
harley2 said on November 5, 2009 at 9:29 PM
sad put them all in for ever or just kill them sick s o b
harley2 said on November 5, 2009 at 9:30 PM
sick s. o. b. hang them all
donnad said on November 5, 2009 at 10:01 PM
I don't get it, I simply don't get it. What is happening to this world? I used to hear my mother and father ask the same thing. I thought nothing of it. You hear of things like this so often it is absolutely bizarre how it can keep going on. Something could have been done to save this precious, gorgeous little angel. I think of myself at that age and how scared I would have been if I had to have gone through even a tiny bit of what she went through. It breaks my heart to think of the terror this baby HAD to have undergone. It's going to just keep getting worse I'm afraid. This new internet age is making pornography and horrific things so accessible to anyone who wants to look. Humanity as it once was will never be the same again. People get so worked up by what they see on the internet, they just HAVE to try it for themselves. I go to my knees and plead with God that this man dies a slow and horribly painful death and I pray his life is filled with NOTHING but misery.
cranky said on November 6, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Sounds to me that if the doctor thought she had genital herpes, Texas Childrens dropped the ball. The system is broken and needs to be fixed. There have been to many cases where CPS is involved that end up like this. I have had foster daughters through CPS and it is terrible what these kids have to endure before they come to a loving home. More people need to open their lives and hearts to these children so they will have a safe place to go it is a very rewarding adventure. God bless Emma she's with him now an angel. PS I like the old site better.
houmomof2 said on November 6, 2009 at 9:54 AM
So, the judge who let the child stay with the parents even after the herpes incident has this child's blood on her hands. I know the judge and she has a track record of poor decisions.
houstonmom said on November 6, 2009 at 10:43 AM
It sounds like a lot of people are saying the dad or doctor should have done things differently; however dad would have been in contempt of court and facing jail time if he did not return the child to the mother. The doctor also has to follow a standard legal protocol. Put the blame where it needs to be: CPS, the childs' mom and her boyfriend all share equal guilt in the death of another angel. The family law system also hampers getting kids into a safe environment unless you have the finances to bankroll a custody suit - which can easily exceed $25,000. The dad probably didn't have the finances and there are not free attorneys out there for the men - when was the last time you saw a men's shelter in cases of abuse or a group for helping pay the legal bills for a man? Texas assumes the mom to be the best parent and when she is not, the dad has to bear the burden of the cost to legally prove what is already evident.
bayrose said on November 6, 2009 at 12:04 PM
CPS should be brought up on charges also. They are an accessory to this murder as far as I'm concerned They get away with murder time and time again. And as far as Lucas and the "mother" is concerned - time to take out the trash.
tlb54 said on November 6, 2009 at 12:46 PM
I do believe in the death penalty...I do believe in the death penalty...I DO believe in the death penalty!
broadmindedbroad said on November 6, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Couldn't even log into the new format yesterday. Finally could today. DON'T like it as much as I did the "old" format! As for this article, ALL the people responsible for the torture and murder of this little angel...including those who did basically nothing to protect her or remove her from the torture chamber she called "home"...ALL should be tried, convicted, and face their Maker in the shortest possible order. I do not understand how anybody who was charged with saving children from lives of torture and death could sleep at night if they EVER failed those children the way little Emma was failed, again and again.
ashleyaddams said on November 6, 2009 at 3:18 PM
I knew back in June that PIG raped that baby. I saw the mother's arrest pic, she looks like she wants to cry I bet it is because she got caught and not at all for her daughter. This poor little baby. I can't imagine anyone beating a defensless child to death then on top of that he raped her and gave her a STD, I would like to see death, but financially it is cheaper to put him away for life. I just can't understand why ALL THESE SINGLE MOTHERS let other men dicipline there children. I won't even let my husband touch our babies(a 4yr.old daughter and 12yr.old son) I do the diciplinary stuff and I NEVER HIT MY CHILDREN NEVER, it might make my husband mad at times, but men loose there tempers and like bambam don't know there own strength. I wish other moms would do the same. My mom may have slapped me a few times when I talked back, but she NEVER beat me and she always protected me, like a Momma bear protects there baby cubs
wildcard777 said on November 6, 2009 at 8:18 PM
Don't be so quick to judge this child's father. He probably questioned the mother, and she probably lied by giving him a believable response. She was, 'supposedly' a Nurse. Not a nurse that I would want around any of my loved ones. Coe and the 'Mom' are two real wacko's who need to do the maximum prison time. Coe should probably be fried.
wildcard777 said on November 6, 2009 at 8:20 PM
PS. I agree that this new sight leaves a lot to be desired. Sometimes OLD is better than New. If it ain't broke, don't fix it..
l2eason2do said on November 7, 2009 at 11:21 PM
This worthless human should be rape every single day in prison 'till he died R.I.H. COE.
kamomma said on November 9, 2009 at 3:23 PM
Someone should rip this POS apart, limb by limb. Same goes for that poor baby's mother! I still do not understand how anyone can pick a boyfriend/girlfriend/etc. over their own children. If ANYONE touched my children in ANY way that seemed even somewhat inappropriate, I would make sure it would be the last time they touch anything!