Inset: Stacy L. Gilbert (Bexar County Adult Detention Center). Background: Police responding to the San Antonio home where Gilbert allegedly threw boiling water on two children (Google Maps).
A Texas woman, aged 33, has been detained on allegations of assaulting two minors by dousing them with boiling water in a fit of rage.
Stacy L. Gilbert faces charges of two counts of injury to a child. According to court documents reviewed by Law&Crime, one charge is for recklessly causing bodily harm, while the other is for doing so with intent.
The incident unfolded when San Antonio police officers responded to an emergency call about an injured child at a residence located on the 3800 block of Maverick Creek. This occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. on Tuesday, as detailed by local CBS affiliate KENS.
Upon their arrival, authorities discovered a 2-year-old and a 13-year-old, both suffering from extensive burn injuries across their bodies, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News. The children were promptly taken by emergency medical services to a nearby hospital for necessary treatment.
In the course of their preliminary inquiry, law enforcement officials suggested that Gilbert’s anger towards the boys, for reasons yet to be determined, led her to enter their room and throw the boiling water on them.
The specific nature of Gilbert’s relationship with the two young victims remains unclear at this time.
Gilbert was taken into custody early Tuesday morning on the aforementioned charges. Police emphasized that the investigation into the attack on the children remains ongoing and additional charges may be brought against the defendant.
Several of Gilbert”s neighbors spoke to local ABC affiliate KSAT about the incident, with most saying it was horrific, but not entirely surprising. All of the interviewees spoke on the condition of anonymity.
“Your job is to care for these children, and that is treacherous to do something like that,” one neighbor told the station.
Another said they could not imagine how anyone could throw boiling water on children, saying, “They’re kids. There should be no reason.”
A third neighbor told the station that police had been called on the house several times in the past and they recalled seeing the children playing outside in bare feet near broken glass.
Gilbert was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center, where she was being held in lieu of $30,000 bond as of Thursday afternoon, records show. Should she be released, Gilbert is prohibited from possessing any firearms. She is currently scheduled to return to court for a pre-indictment hearing on April 20.
Gilbert has had a number of run-ins with the law, having previously been charged with abandoning a child, child endangerment, and deadly conduct in 2020. She also faced charges of assault causing bodily injury and making terroristic threats in 2021.
