Background: The residence of the family whose three children were reportedly found in a nearby pond in Liberty County, Texas (YouTube/KPRC). Inset: The home and pond where the children were allegedly discovered (YouTube/KPRC).
A mother in Texas is under investigation for reportedly attempting to drown her three children in a pond close to their home, possibly after administering NyQuil to them.
The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office offered an on-camera update following a story that emerged early Monday concerning a family of five whose names have not been disclosed. According to Capt. David Meyers, the public information officer for the sheriff’s office, deputies were dispatched following a 911 call made shortly before 6 a.m. The father reportedly informed dispatchers that “his wife poisoned his children with NyQuil and tried to drown them in a lake.”
Meyers indicated the children involved are a 15-year-old girl, an 11-year-old girl, and a 6-year-old boy. The children and their mother were taken to a nearby hospital, with all the children surviving the alleged drowning attempt. According to Meyers, the mother and the 11-year-old were listed in critical condition, while the other two children are stable.
KHOU, a local CBS affiliate, reported that during the 911 call, the father told dispatchers he managed to retrieve all his children from the water and was “trying to get away from the wife.” Meyers stated that the father mentioned hearing commotion from the front yard that resembled his kids “yelling.” The house is located near a large lake, roughly 75 to 100 feet from the entrance.
Upon the deputies’ arrival, Meyers noted that the mother was still in the water, unconscious and not breathing. The 11-year-old girl had regained consciousness after her father pulled her from the water.
Meyers fielded a question about the alleged use of NyQuil or vodka to poison the children. He did not confirm that either was ingested by the children, though the 911 dispatcher stated that the father believed the children had been “poisoned” with NyQuil. Meyers said the claim was being investigated.
While the names of the family members were not shared with the public, Meyers said that the sheriff’s office has been working with Child Protective Services (CPS) and a social worker at the hospital where the mother and children are being treated. He stated that none of the children were currently enrolled in school and that the family had been living in the home since 2017.
According to Meyers, authorities were waiting until the family’s relatives were notified of the “tragic event,” as he referred to it. He also told the press that police were not singling out the mother as a suspect yet, and that both parents were being investigated and questioned. He noted that the father had been cooperative with police.
When asked if authorities were investigating the incident as an alleged attempted murder, Meyers would not confirm that, saying “it’s too early to tell.”
