A 46-year-old Venezuelan migrant, Pedro Luis Parra Pulgar, has been accused of three counts of attempted murder. It is alleged that he deliberately set his own house on fire while his three children were inside.
The November 6, 2024, incident at 31619 Eldorado Lane in the Polo Ranch Community was captured on dramatic bodycam footage, which showed officers rescuing a trapped three-year-old boy from the blazing home.
Two teenagers were able to escape the blaze, but they immediately notified the police that their three-year-old sibling was still inside the burning building. The bodycam footage vividly captures a Fulshear police officer taking decisive action by smashing a window and rescuing the trapped toddler, who was visibly distressed and struggling to breathe due to the thick smoke.
The officer, as he reflected on the moment, expressed, “When you have children and you’re interacting with kids, it’s only natural to connect it to your personal life. However, in that specific moment, you’re completely focused on your duties as a police officer, doing what we are trained to do.”
The child was taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital for medical care and has since been discharged.
After being hospitalized for burns caused by the fire, Pulgar was admitted until December 12, 2024. Once he was discharged, he was taken to the Fort Bend County Jail. Judge Argie Brame from the 434th Associate District Court imposed a bond of $750,000 for each count of attempted murder, resulting in a total of $2.25 million.
Pulgar is currently under an ICE hold, but officials are not revealing his immigration status to respect privacy laws. Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressed his outrage on social media, demanding that Pulgar be imprisoned for the rest of his life.
The community is deeply shaken by the significant damage caused to the home by the fire. Pulgar, like approximately seven million other migrants in the United States, is not in federal ICE custody while waiting for immigration hearings.
Governor Abbott’s remarks have sparked renewed discussions on immigration policies and enforcement, further complicating an already tragic incident.
The authorities are currently investigating the details of the fire and Pulgar’s alleged motives. As the investigation progresses, Pulgar is currently being held in custody.