By Aaron Miller-
A shocking case of child abuse has come to light in San Antonio, Texas, after a one-year-old girl was allegedly scalded with boiling water and subjected to multiple injections of methamphetamine by her parents, reportedly as a means to stop her from crying.
The harrowing incident has prompted an investigation into why Child Protective Services (CPS) had three times requested the removal of the children from the home, only to have those requests denied by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.
Amanda Mann, 31, and Dustin Lawrence, 30,(pictured) now face charges including endangering a child, endangering a child risking bodily injury, injury to a child resulting in serious bodily injury-reckless, and four counts of abandoning/endangering a child with intent.
The case has raised alarming questions about the effectiveness of the system in place to protect vulnerable children, after it was revealed that CPS had sought to remove all six siblings from the home before the horrific incident occurred in November.
At a news conference early this month, BCSO Sherrif, Javier Salazier said law enforcement first learned of the case when the 1-year-old, who only weighed 18 pounds, was taken to the hospital on Saturday night.
The baby had suffered burns on her face and throughout her body, Salazar said. It appeared boiling hot liquid either spilled on her or was poured on her Friday evening.
Deputies were initially told the baby was burned by hot water in the shower, but Mann later said she was burned with boiling water from a pot, as they were making spaghetti.
Salazar said they are investigating if the baby pulled the pot down on herself, or if it was accidentally or intentionally done by someone.
Salazar told reporters that deputies found several other children in a small, filthy RV where they were living, including 2-month-old twins, a 2-year-old, a 6-year-old and an 8-year-old.
Mann gave birth to the twins at home, and they never received medical care, Salazar said. He added that it appeared the 8-year-old took care of the other children while the couple took the 1-year-old to the hospital.
Her parents chose to not seek medical care, Salazar said, and instead treated her with a burn ointment.
They injected her with meth to help with the pain, Salazar said.
State Representative John Lujan, representing the area, has expressed his distress at the situation, emphasizing that no child should endure such conditions.
Lujan has initiated immediate action, demanding answers from the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and seeking clarity on how the tragedy unfolded despite CPS’s attempts to intervene.
“I’m not the type to point blame, but I want a clearer picture of what exactly happened,” Lujan stated. He has called for a comprehensive investigation into the sequence of events, aiming to understand whether it was a procedural failure, a personnel issue, or a technological glitch that led to the denial of CPS requests.
The reasons behind the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office rejecting CPS’s removal requests remain unclear. First Assistant Criminal District Attorney Christian Henricksen cited Texas law, which mandates strict confidentiality regarding reports of abuse or neglect.
However, he affirmed that charges related to child endangerment against the parents were pending review by a Bexar County Grand Jury.
As part of their effort to uncover the facts, journalists have filed open records requests to determine the number of times CPS sought removal of the children.
The DA’s office’s statement did not address this question directly.
The tragic incident has brought attention to the larger issue of child protection in Bexar County. According to CPS online data, the county led the state in the number of removals, with 1,074 reported in fiscal year 2022. This alarming statistic underscores the need for a thorough examination of the system’s functionality and cooperation among representatives to enact meaningful change.
State Representative Liz Compost is collaborating with Representative Lujan on addressing systemic issues, emphasizing the urgency of bipartisan efforts to improve child protection measures in Texas.
As the investigation unfolds, the community is left grappling with the consequences of a flawed system that failed to prevent the abuse of innocent children. The case highlights the imperative need for reforms and a collective commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable youth in the state.
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