McAllen teen who hosted pool party charged in tragic death

2 months ago 53

Additional details involving alcohol and collecting money at a McAllen pool party, where a Nikki Rowe football player was injured and later died, have emerged from one of the suspects’ criminal complaints.

Heron Hernandez Jr., a 17, was charged with purchase or furnishing alcohol to a minor on Tuesday and released the following day on a $25,000 bond, according to jail records.

Hernandez is accused of being involved in the incident that resulted in Adan De La Cruz’s death after he fell off a gazebo while attempting to jump into a pool.

According to the complaint, Hernandez was collecting the entrance fee to the party using CashApp and was considered one of the hosts of the party.

It started Saturday, Aug. 17, when McAllen police responded to the 4700 block of North Bentsen Road in reference to an intoxicated minor who slipped and fell onto pavement, hitting his head and sustaining serious bodily injuries, the complaint said.

Two days later, detectives obtained recorded statements from four witnesses saying that they all found out about the party from a social media flyer that had four Instagram accounts as the hosts, one of which belonged to Hernandez.

The witnesses also stated that the flyer said there was a $10 entrance fee or a $15 fee at the door.

“A witness stated she contacted a host and was advised Heron was collecting the entrance fee via CashApp,” the complaint said. “[The] witness provided proof of money transfer to Heron.”

Additionally, witnesses stated that Hernandez was at the entrance gate of the party charging the $15 entrance fee.

They added that the alcoholic drinks were already at the “location, free and available to everyone,” the complaint said.

Those same witnesses also said they were there when De La Cruz fell from the roof and remained unconscious on the floor.

Hernandez’s mother was contacted in an attempt to get a statement from him, but she believes that he’s not in a good mental state to provide a statement, according to the complaint.

The Nikki Rowe Student Council, meanwhile, said via Facebook that a vigil for De La Cruz is going to be held Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Rowe Football Field.