2 middle school boys injured while helping woman during alleged assault at park in SW Houston

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Two middle school boys are being praised for stepping in to help a woman deputies say was being assaulted by her boyfriend at Burnett Bayland Park in southwest Houston.

The boys, ages 12 and 13, said they acted on instinct after hearing the woman call for help while hanging out at the park on May 7th.

ABC13 spoke to them with permission from their parents and guardian.

"We was walking past and she was like, 'Can y'all help me? He's assaulting me,'" 12-year-old Alfredo Martinez said.

The friends said they saw the man hitting the woman and noticed others just walking past the couple without intervening. That's when they confronted the man.

"All of a sudden he was attacking me and choking me and all of that," Martinez said. "My friend pushed him and he started kicking us."

"He kicked me in my ribs, and it was like we started defending each other and started fighting back," 13-year-old Francisco Montano said.

The boys suffered some bumps and bruises.

After the suspect ran away, the boys sought help and reported the incident to the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office.

Deputies later arrested the suspect, identified as 25-year-old Oscar Choc Mucu, after authorities said he returned to the park the following night.

According to court records, he now faces two counts of injury to a child in addition to an assault charge involving his girlfriend.

The boys' families said they are proud of them for standing up for someone in danger.

"She always told me never to hit a woman, to respect them," Martinez said.

Despite their injuries, both boys said they do not regret stepping in.

"I just feel like helping is better than just walking by," Montano added.