Eleven-year-old Julián Guzman and his cousin had been hanging out at a family party late Saturday when they decided to branch out on their own.

But what started as innocent fun would soon take a devastating turn.

They took to the streets of their east Houston neighborhood to play an age-old prank: ring a neighbor’s doorbell, and flee before they have time to answer.

The pair had successfully tricked other neighborhood residents when they came upon a house on Mimbrough Street just before 11 p.m. The two-story home towered over the cousins, but its spacious porch and windows far from the front door made it ideal for ding-dong-ditching.

Julián reached for the doorbell, ready to run.

After ringing the bell, the young boys took off, making it at least 20 feet away before the front door ope

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