In Iowa Colony, Texas, a woman claims her domestic violence case went unprocessed for close to a year because a technical problem kept it from reaching the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office.
In July 2025, Brittanni Hendricks filed her initial domestic violence reports with the Iowa Colony Police Department. It was only later that she discovered those charges had never been submitted at all.
Hendricks Files Reports in July 2025
Hendricks explained that an investigation ran from July through about November. She later found out that the charges had not been filed, and were left unfinished because of a technical problem.
Police Confirm the Investigation
Police from Iowa Colony say they looked into the case and thought they had handed it over to the Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office in November 2025. Officers told ABC13 it wasn’. It was not until September 2026, when Hendricks checked in with law enforcement, that they found out the system the county runs for submitting cases had stopped working properly.
Once a submission arrives, the system fails to alert their department, and the case never moves forward.
Police Take Action
Last week Iowa Colony police reported they had directly filed and resubmitted the case, a move they described as the first of its kind for their department.
Hendricks Describes the Toll
Hendricks has been worn down by the wait. She said it has left her drained in three ways: financially, mentally, and emotionally.
“It’s affected my schedule, my work, how I show up for my clients, for everything,” she said.
Her Broader Concern
Hendricks sees the case as part of a wider issue affecting people who report abuse at home.
“Women don’t report for that reason, and now learning that even when you do, they may not be taken seriously or they may not make it to a DA, when a victim is sitting back waiting for that to happen and waiting for a chance to openly share her story,” Hendricks said.
She said she hopes the technical failure was an isolated incident.
“I do feel that the system is definitely broken. In this case, there was a technical issue, so clearly something’s broken, and having to relive and continue to go through because of those errors is just exhausting, frustrating,” Hendricks said.
The Case Finally Moves Forward
On Monday afternoon, after ABC13 made its calls, Hendricks was contacted by a prosecutor in Brazoria County. That contact confirmed to her that her case is finally moving forward.
What the DA’s Office Has Not Said
The office of the Brazoria County District Attorney was contacted by ABC13 regarding the system and whether the issue has affected cases from other agencies. As of Monday, no response had been given.
Key Facts Box
- Reports filed: July 2025
- Investigation period: July until around November
- Submission believed to occur: November 2025
- Glitch discovered: September 2026
- Case status: Moving forward, after hearing back from a prosecutor
Help for Those in Danger
For assistance escaping a domestic violence situation, reach out to the Houston Area Women’s Center 24/7 hotline at 713-528-2121 or call AVDA at 713-224-9911. You can also click here to speak with an advocate through live chat. If you are deaf or hard of hearing and need support, dial 713-528-3625.
A single technical malfunction prevented a charge from ever making it to the DA’s office. The wait lasted a full year, and it produced no result at all.
Source material: “Woman says Iowa Colony domestic violence case delayed after technical glitch from law enforcement,” ABC13 Houston.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.