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, Jessica Quintana, 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, Domingo Quintana called 911, reporting that his wife “poisoned his children with NyQuil and attempted to drown them.”
When deputies arrived, they found the wet children with Domingo Quintana, who claimed he’d saved them. Jessica Quintana was unresponsive in the water but still had a heartbeat. She was taken to a hospital, and her status has changed from critical to good, the Liberty County Sheriff's Office told The Independent on Wednesday.
The children, aged 6, 11, and 15, were also hospitalized.
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“All three of the children have been medically released and are waiting to be discharged from the hospital,” the sheriff’s office told The Independent on Wednesday afternoon. “Upon release from the hospital, the children will be in the custody of Child Protective Services. It is unknown the date and time that the children will be released from the hospital.”
Capt. David Meyers said during a press conference Tuesday that officers did 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.
“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 and was expected to be out on bond sometime Wednesday afternoon, the sheriff’s office told The Independent.
No charges have been filed in this case as of Wednesday afternoon.
The sheriff's office is urging the public not to jump to conclusions as the investigation is still in its early stages.
“The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Baytown Police Department dive team, and Harris County Sheriff's dive teams for assisting with searching the pond for potential evidence, and the Bridgehaven Child Advocacy Center, CPS, and the Staff at Memorial Hermann Hospital Downtown,” the sheriff’s office said.
