Harris County: Man found dead inside donation box after calling 911, deputies say

Man found dead inside donation box

A horrific discovery inside of a Houston donation box. A man was found dead inside the box. FOX 26's Jillian Hartmann has the latest.

HOUSTON - Investigators are looking into a tragic discovery after a man was found dead inside a donation box in northwest Harris County Monday morning.

What we know:

According to the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office, the man called 911 saying he was trapped inside a donation box located along North Grand Parkway West. When deputies arrived, they found him unresponsive inside the container. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities have not released the man's identity or additional details about how he became trapped. FOX 26 has reached out to investigators for more information and is awaiting a response.

Similar incidents in recent years

This incident is the third in the last few years involving someone becoming stuck inside a donation box in the Houston area.

• June 2025: A man died after deputies say he became trapped in a donation box on Crosby Lynchburg Road. Investigators reported he had been attempting to break in.
• April 2022: Firefighters rescued a woman trapped inside a donation box on West Tidwell after she climbed in to retrieve clothing for her child.

Authorities warn the public not to enter donation boxes

Officials say donation boxes are extremely dangerous for anyone who climbs inside. They are urging people not to enter the containers and instead seek out available community resources.

Local resources and services for those in need

With the holiday season underway, several Houston-area groups, including BakerRipley, are helping families struggling.

Cris Cave with BakerRipley says the most urgent need right now is food, especially as many families continue to feel the impact of SNAP benefit shortages and higher grocery prices.

"Food is needed all year round," Cave said. "Right now, we are still seeing families grappling with the effect of the shortage of SNAP and increases of prices we can all see."

Cave says demand has grown significantly.

"We are seeing new neighbors, new faces showing up to our food fairs, new families coming, and seeing more seniors coming to our congregate meals."

For those needing help now, Cave encourages people to turn to BakerRipley’s community centers or the United Way 211 helpline.

"Come to any of our four community centers in Harris County," she said. "We work with many partners, including United Way, so I advise people to check their 211 helpline to learn about services they may qualify for that are close to them."