A Texas mother allegedly tried to drown her three children in a pond at their $3 million Liberty County home after drugging them with Nyquil.
However, police are investigating both the 39-year-old mother and her 61-year-old husband, Domingo Quintana, as the circumstances around the alleged incident continue to puzzle law enforcement.
Around 6 a.m. on Monday, Quintana called 911, reporting that his wife “poisoned his children with NyQuil and attempted to drown them.”
The names of the mother and children have not been publicly released.
When deputies arrived, they found the wet children with Quintana, who claimed he’d saved them. Their mother was unresponsive in the water but still had a heartbeat. She was taken to a hospital, where she remained in critical condition as of Tuesday evening.
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The children, aged 6, 11, and 15, were also hospitalized. The 11-year-old also remained in critical condition as of Tuesday night, while the other kids were recovering.
Capt. David Meyers says police do not have a “specific focus on either parent” and are looking into both during their investigation.
‘It was bizarre and breathtaking to see what deputies and investigators faced upon arriving at the scene,’ Meyers said during a press conference Tuesday.
‘Any time children are involved, it’s heart‑wrenching for all of us in law enforcement. The best thing we can do now is pray for the children and their parents.’
During the investigation, authorities discovered an emaciated cat locked in a non-climate-controlled building with no food or water. Quintana was therefore arrested on a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge, according to a charging document obtained by ABC 13. He was booked into the Liberty County Jail on Tuesday morning.
Child Protective Services has taken custody of all three children, who will enter foster care once released from the hospital.
The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office is urging the public not to jump to conclusions as the investigation is still in its early stages.
The Independent contacted the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday for comment.
