WACO, TX — Shauntaviah Cook woke up early Thursday morning to a loud bang. After her and her husband ran out to the living room, they were met by three men with guns demanding money.
"It's like you can’t even describe it, like terrified isn’t word," Cook said.
With her 2-month-old and 11-month-old awake in the next room, Cook says it was important for her to protect her children. She begged the suspects, telling them they had nothing to give.
The men took a few items, like shoes, a laptop, tax return money and car keys then fled the scene. Unfortunately, attached to the the car keys was a key to the apartment.
Cook says she felt unsafe to even stay another night in her own home.
"I don't even feel safe to be here with my kids. They could come through the door again or just unlock it because they live here, because they have a key," she said.
Almost a week later, signs of the robbery still remain. Now the family is focused on fixing their door, which is barely hanging on.
"He [the landlord] was just telling me there was nothing they can do," Cook said.
The family asked the complex owners if they could fix the door and change the locks, given the circumstances. However, the owners declined and said the costs would have to come out of Cook's pockets.
25 News reached out to the complex for comment and have not heard back as of publication.
Cook, her husband and two kids are staying with family members so they don't have to relive the memory.
She says wherever they go next, they will invest in cameras or even extra locks because despite better judgment, things like this can happen to anyone.
"I thought it was pretty good, a pretty quiet neighborhood," Cook said.
A police report was also filed by Cook. The suspects have yet to be found and an investigation is ongoing.
