Wife banishes allegedly abusive husband to front lawn of million-dollar home

A man has been living on his front lawn for six months in Texas, after his wife kicked him out of the million-dollar mansion they share.


Sharafat Khan, 69, has attracted sympathy from his neighbors in the wealthy Taylor Lake Village. KPRC 2 describes the situation, which seems bad:

Night after night he sleeps on the front porch wrapped in a sheet. During the day he tries to find shade under the trees. On Monday he was eating saltine crackers and drinking a warm bottle of water. Neighbors said if they take him blankets and pillows, the wife takes them away. There are signs posted all over the home instructing the neighbors not to help him or feed him.

Neighbors are worried about Khan, who says he has diabetes and high blood pressure and has been hospitalized during the months he spent outdoors.”He’s very frail, he can’t even walk. I’m afraid he is going to die out here in his yard,” one told KPRC 2. Another added, “He has no bathroom facilities, no shoes.”

Some have been trying to help Khan out by leaving food and supplies, but his wife—Dr. Shahnaz Khan—isn’t having it. Signs posted around the property instruct neighbors that if they want to feed her husband, they’ll have to take him in.

One reads, in part, “Kindly, DO NOT bring anything on this property. NO FOOD OR DRINKS ALSO. Getting Infested with MAGGOTS. If you want to feed him, take him to your house. If you want to, you can keep him at your house.”

The Houston Chronicle reports that the couple’s son, 30-year-old Zain Khan, posted a defense of his mother on Facebook. He reportedly wrote, “My dad has abused my mom, emotionally as well as physically (just as recently as a few days ago),” adding that his father also stole from his mother.

A user named Zain Khan left a comment on the KPRC article that made the same claim, and accuses Sharafat of abandoning his family:

The Chronicle adds that the banished Khan has been arrested over domestic violence charges in the past:

According to online law enforcement records, Sharafat Khan was arrested in September 2008 on a charge of assaulting a family member, after he allegedly hit his wife with his hand. He was placed on community supervision, which ended in July 2009, records state.

For now, it seems, the couple will remained married. The Chronicle reports that Sharafat filed for divorce in June, but others say it doesn’t appear to be on the table—possibly for religious reasons, as divorce is against sharia law, and possibly because divorce would mean a division of funds. Plus, so long as Khan co-owns the expensive home, his wife can’t compel him to leave the premises.

Danielle Wiener-Bronner is a news reporter.

 
Join the discussion...