Background: The home of the family whose three children were allegedly found in a nearby pond in Liberty County, Texas (KPRC). Inset: Jessica Quintana (Liberty County Sheriff”s Office).
A Texas mother who was hospitalized after she allegedly tried to drown her three children in a pond by the family home has been arrested.
Jessica Quintana, 39, was charged with two counts of injury to a child and one count of aggravated assault causing bodily injury after she was released from the hospital on Friday, according to a statement from the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. Quintana was later identified as the mother involved in a Sept. 29 incident during which she allegedly tried to drown her three children, ages 6, 11, and 15 years old. All three children survived, and police said on Friday they were all in the custody of child protective services.
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As Law&Crime previously reported, the children’s father, later identified as Domingo Quintana, called 911 to report that “his wife poisoned his children with NyQuil and attempted to drown them in a lake.” Local NBC affiliate KPRC reported that he also said there was vodka in the NyQuil. He was able to pull his 11-year-old daughter from the water, and she was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Police have not confirmed that the children had NyQuil in their system. They did confirm that there was no alcohol involved. Capt. David Meyers of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office told KPRC, “It’s presumed she took the children to the water with the intent of all of them not surviving.”
According to KPRC’s reporting, Jessica Quintana underwent a mental health evaluation while she was hospitalized. Results or findings were not made public.
Domingo Quintana was arrested after the alleged incident, on Oct. 1, on animal cruelty charges after sheriff’s deputies said they found a “cat being kept in unsanitary and unsafe conditions inside the home.” Domingo Quintana posted $5,000 bond and was released.
Law&Crime’s Chris Stewart reported that during a child custody hearing after the Sept. 29 incident, the children all reportedly reacted “negatively” to the prospect of staying with their father. Domingo Quintana was subsequently barred from seeing his children. The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office stated on Friday that “it is not confirmed whether the father of the children will be facing any charges.”
Jessica Quintana is now in custody at the Liberty County Jail, where she is being held without bond.
