A Missouri father of seven is accused of murdering his wife while allegedly forcing some of their children to take part in the killing. Jonathan G. Houston is accused of strangling his 37-year-old wife, Aunika Houston, as some of their children watched.
Court documents allege that one child was made to cover Aunika's mouth while another was forced to pour hot water over her legs as Houston strangled her. The alleged incident took place around 10 months before the children reported it to police.
Children call police from hotel
One of the couple's seven children called police from a hotel in Missouri, claiming that she and her siblings had been abused and held captive by their father for the previous five years. Police went to the Baymont Inn & Suites in Kingdom City on October 4, where they found all seven children.
The children then told officers about the alleged abuse and their mother's death, saying they had been present when she was killed. Houston is also accused of locking his three youngest children in a bathroom and playing music to cover the sounds of what was happening.
Alleged confession and arrest
Houston later admitted to police that he had planned his wife's killing in advance, according to the report. He allegedly disposed of Aunika's body in the hotel's dumpster afterwards. Aunika was 37 when she died and had not been reported missing.
Houston, a former parole officer, was arrested on charges of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping. He remains in Callaway County Jail and is being held without bond.
Family tribute and protective custody
Aunika's family has paid an emotional tribute to her as they called for justice for Aunika and her children. In a Facebook tribute, her family remembered her "unique light, beauty, strength, and spirit".
They added: "We ask that you keep the Rawls family in your thoughts and prayers as we continue to grieve, remember, and celebrate Aunika's life and bring justice to her and her kids." A relative, Ashley Nicole, has also started the hashtag "#justiceforaunika".
Aunika was born in California but had reportedly been living with Houston in Missouri for the previous seven years. The family were members of Faith and Wisdom Church in Branson, Missouri, according to Facebook posts, and had received support from its "Marriages Made To Last" group.
All seven children have now been placed in protective custody, according to authorities.
