TV Mom from Paternity Court Allegedly Shoots 4 Kids, Says They “Were with the Devil”
Romelus is accused of murdering her 13-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. Fayette County Sheriff's Office
A woman who once appeared on the television show Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court has been accused of shooting four of her children, killing two, according to court records.
Oninda Romelus, 31, called 911 from a Houston‑area gas station early Saturday. When officers arrived, they found four children inside her vehicle who had been shot, Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office investigators say.
Two children — 13‑year‑old O’Karreo Covington and 3‑year‑old Amourra Chapell — were pronounced dead at the scene. Two others, 8‑year‑old Kylee Romelus and 9‑year‑old Traviel Downer, were airlifted to a Houston hospital and are recovering, authorities said.
Court documents describe Romelus as paranoid and incoherent during questioning. She reportedly told officers she had called 911 because, “instead of them doing it to me, I’m gonna do it to them,” and when pressed said, “Kill them all.” She also said the children were “dead to her” and “with the devil,” and told investigators, “you can’t take me without me taking you.”
Romelus is being held on $14 million bond and faces two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault.
Nearly 12 years ago Romelus appeared on Paternity Court seeking to identify the father of her eldest child; neither of the men on that episode was a match. That eldest son, now 17, was not at the scene and was not located during a search of the home. During the search, authorities say they found items that led them to obtain a warrant and return to the residence. Investigators seized multiple social security cards, identification cards and credit cards, some bearing Romelus’s photo or address but different names, along with shipping labels, phones, computers, printers and other devices authorities believe could have been used to create fraudulent identification.
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