For the ninth time, a Brazos County district court criminal trial has been delayed.
That’s after a Bryan man accused of threatening a former fiance with a gun three and a half years ago was arrested last Friday on charges of injuring his twin six year old daughters, one who was found dead.
According to the Bryan police arrest report, the surviving sister told investigators her father smacked her on the face with a wooden paddle for not eating fast enough.
The father, 29 year old Justin Hopper, told detectives he and his current fiance disciplined the children with the paddle and a belt.
Hopper, who denied threatening his former finance, remains in jail on bonds totaling $275,000 dollars.
The current fiance, 40 year old Jessica Bundren, remains jailed in lieu of bonds totaling $250,000 dollars. Bond was increased following an arrest warrant charging her with injuring the surviving stepdaughter.
A prosecutor in the Brazos County district attorney’s office provided WTAW News the history of continuing Hopper’s trial on the May 2017 charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon:
- Trial date of 11/16/2020 COVID objection by defense
- Trial date of 7/6/2020 Trials not allowed during this time due to COVID
- Trial date of 1/6/2020 Defense continuance
- Trial date of 7/16/2019 Both sides announce ready – wasn’t reached due to age of case/defendant not in custody
- Trial date of 5/20/2019 Both sides announce ready – wasn’t reached due to age of case/defendant not in custody
- Trial date of 1/29/2019 Defense continuance
- Trial date of 8/27/2018 Both sides announced ready – wasn’t reached due to age of case/defendant not in custody
- Trial date of 3/26/2018 Defense continuance
Original story, October 28, 2020:
Bryan police detectives who find a six year old girl dead in her bedroom Tuesday night arrest her stepmother on a charge of injury to a child with the intent to cause serious bodily injury.
According to the BPD arrest report, a belt was found containing metal rivets and a slit on the end. Investigators say the belt is consistent with the child’s injuries that includes a swollen face, belt welts and contusions on her torso, and bruises on both legs that were in different stages of healing.
The stepmother called 9-1-1 after finding the child was not breathing.
40 year old Jessica Bundren told detectives the child had fallen down two steps before going to bed.
Bundren also said she used a belt on the six year old several times over the last two weeks for soiling her bed. Bundren said the child was swatted once for each year of her age.
The girl’s punishment also included sleeping on the floor, which is where she was found.
Bundren remained jailed Wednesday afternoon in lieu of a $150,000 dollar bond.