Houston Republic

Around 20 children were huddled, hiding in Soany Barela’s apartment on Saturday when her neighbor went on a mini rampage, overturning tables and chairs.  

“All of the kids started getting scared of everything that was happening in that moment,” Barela told the Houston Republic. “All of the kids came inside because they were scared.”

Barela, who is six months pregnant, said her neighbor Secley Nunez and a friend, identified as Katy resident Arey Stone, hit her in the belly with a table as they were tearing apart the children’s birthday party. Despite the immediate danger to her and her family, Barela said the Houston Police did not show up until four hours later and, when they did, they were dismissive of her. 

“I told them I wanted to press charges because she hit me with the table and she was violent in front of kids,” Barela said. 

In a video taken of the incident, Nunez is shown pulling a table face down across the parking lot while her friend throws a chair.  

Barela was noticeably stunned when Nunez grabbed the table and started to pull it out from under her and a child. 

“Are you gonna move y’all [expletive]?” Nunez said while grabbing hold of the table and flipping it.

Barela said she was holding the birthday party in the apartment complex’s courtyard when the two women began harassing and threatening them for using the public space. After Nunes and Stone took down and damaged the furniture the family rented for the party, the stunned family discussed in Spanish that someone should contact the police. 

“Keep talking,” Nunez said in the video. 

Barela said Nunez and Stone never approached them as they were setting up the party, only afterward. 

“Why are you doing this to me right now? Why didn’t you come out earlier?” Barela said when trying to capture the reasoning behind the attack. 

Houston Police responded to their call four hours later but refused to arrest Nunes and Stone for the damage, despite the video evidence, Barela said. 

“The police came and they didn’t do anything to defend me,” she said. “The police said my husband could have fought back. We know if we would have done it — in that moment — we would be in jail right now.”  

This week Barela accused Nunes of pouring honey on her front door and porch, for which she said Houston Police spoke to the property manager but failed to take criminal action. 

While Barela said she did not feel the attack was racially motivated, others have brought up the topic. 

“So my program . . . and my people been protesting BLM and this is how y’all treat us?” Nando Jalisco said.  

The Houston Police have been roundly criticized for their handling of BLM, particularly after a speech in which Police Chief Art Acevedo encouraged protestors and said about vandalism in the community that “little white guys with their skateboards are the ones who are starting all the [expletive].”

Acevedo refused to walk back that claim. 

Social media commenters said Nunez and Stone should be ashamed of their behavior, particularly given the cultural environment.   

“Utterly disgusting,” Veronique Bryant wrote. “I apologize as part of the black community. We don’t claim trash like them.”

In heartwarming gestures, many have offered aid to the family after viewing the video. 

“Omg! This is sick! Karma will come to them!” Jahnae Chanelle wrote. “So sorry this happened to your family! Do you have P.O. Box? Or somewhere I can send the birthday girl a gift?”  

Barela said the response from the community has been a positive despite having to go through this ordeal. She said another birthday party was organized by her neighbors and went off without a problem. Several people have been stopping by and leaving gifts for the family as well. 

“I am really happy about the people who are supporting me and seeking justice,” she said. “It is fair for me to do justice. I can’t just let this happen.”

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to take care of the damage to the rented furniture. The account has greatly exceeded its goal of $1,250 by bringing in nearly $7,000 as of publication time. 

Barela said she is looking to move farther away in the complex from Nunes.

Nunes was reportedly fired from her job at FedEx after the video was posted.