Family Of Squatters Finally Removed From Home After Living There For A Year

A Houston public school teacher and her family were finally evicted from a luxury home they'd been illegally living in for a full year.

Local realtor Shaequa Garrett initially notified ABC 13 that Amberlyn Prather and her family were living inside a Southwest Houston home she's tried to sell months prior to their departure last Thursday (June 15).

"It's insane," Garrett said several months ago, acknowledging that she went to court several times, however, the constable's office claimed it was a civil issue.

Garrett said she was finally able to gain access to the home last Thursday and figured out how the family managed to break into the home.

"They could climb on a trash can and climb on the roof," Garrett told ABC 13. "From this window (which was loose), they can just open it from the outside and jump in. Because we kept getting the house rekeyed, and they kept getting in."

Garrett went to eviction court with ABC 13 in May and got a judge to agree that Prather's lease was fake and ordered the family to move out of the home, which took weeks as the family squatted on the property.

"Finally, they're out," said Garrett with a sigh of relief. "Now it's to keep the squatters out completely. We don't want another situation like this."

Garrett said she has since posted a "no trespassing" sign, which legal experts told ABC 13 is crucial for houses that are up for lease or sale in order to avoid similar situations from taking place.