Liberty County: 3 kids placed in foster care after being hospitalized, possible drowning

LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas - The three kids involved in a possible drowning initially reported by Liberty County Sheriff's Office have been placed in temporary custody of the Texas Department of Family Services (DFPS).

Children placed in conservatorship

According to reports provided to FOX 26, a judge granted DFPS Temporary Managing Conservatorship to the three kids who had to be taken to the hospital after an incident at a pond near Dayton.

The three kids – two girls, 15 and 11, and a 6-year-old boy, are said to be in foster care and will be placed with a family as the investigation is ongoing.

SUGGESTED: Liberty County mother, 3 children hospitalized; investigation at family's pond

According to the sheriff's office, "From the beginning, the safety and well-being of the three children have been the primary focus of this investigation. All necessary measures have been taken to ensure their care, protection, and proper placement through appropriate agencies."

Mother, 3 kids near drowning in Dayton

What we know:

Liberty County Sheriff’s Office say they got a call around 6 a.m. on Sept. 29 about a possible drowning at a home in the 9000 block of FM 1008 in Dayton.

When they arrived, they found three kids wet but out of the water, and the mother, now identified as 39-year-old Jessica Quintana, still in the pond in front of the home.

Featured

article

Liberty County mother, 3 children hospitalized; investigation at family's pond

Authorities in Liberty County are trying to piece together what transpired at a pond in front of a family’s home that left a mother and 11-year-old girl in critical condition and two other children in the hospital.

A deputy began rendering aid to an 11-year-old girl, who regained some consciousness at the scene. Deputies also pulled Jessica out of the water. Authorities say she had a heartbeat but was not conscious or breathing.

The 11-year-old girl and Jessica Quintana were taken to the hospital by Life Flight. A 15-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy were transported by ambulance.

Get news, weather and so much more by downloading the FOX LOCAL app

No criminal charges have been filed against Jessica at this time, authorities say.

Last reports from officials said Jessica's condition changed from critical to good, officials said. On Tuesday, the sheriff's office reported she was still receiving medical care and remains under medical supervision.

What's next:

The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office emphasizes the case is being investigated thoroughly, not only to pursue an arrest but to build a complete and prosecutable case that supports a conviction.

Domingo Quintana's animal cruelty arrest

The three kids' father, Domingo Quintana, has been charged with cruelty to non-livestock. 

During the investigation, deputies say they found a domestic cat being kept in unsanitary and unsafe conditions inside the home. Officials say the cat was in poor health and the environment it was living in was determined to be unfit.