A mom in Texas is in jail and facing charges after allegedly attempting to kill her three children. Jessica Quintana reportedly dosed her children with NyQuil before leading them to a pond on their property with the intention of drowning them. The children’s father was the one to find them, frantically pulling them out of the water before calling police, but he was quickly arrested on an unrelated charge. Now, details are beginning to emerge that may paint a surprising picture.
On October 24, 2025, 39-year-old Jessica Quintana was arrested just after 10 a.m. after being released from the hospital where she was recovering from the drowning incident, Click2Houston reported. Investigators from the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office were there waiting to take her into custody.
The mother has been charged with two counts of injury to a child causing bodily injury and one charge of assault causing bodily injury, the sheriff’s office shared. All three of the charges are first-degree felonies.
On September 29 around 6 a.m., sheriff’s deputies found the mom and her three children in or near a pond on their Dayton, Texas, property. “It’s presumed she took the children to the water with the intent of all of them not surviving,” Captain David Meyers told Click2Houston.
The three children were wet but no longer in the pond when police arrived, and Jessica Quintana was still in the water, according to Fox 26. An 11-year-old girl was given first aid by a deputy and regained some consciousness at the scene. When the mom was pulled out of the water, she had a heartbeat but was unconscious. Both were taken to the hospital by Life Flight. A 15-year-girl and 6-year-old boy were taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Police were reportedly called by Domingo Quintana, the father of the children. Fox 4 reported that according to Domingo Quintana, Jessica Quintana gave the children NyQuil before taking them out to the water. The medication could have been mixed with alcohol.
Investigators later confirmed there was no alcohol involved, Click2Houston reported. Officials are still waiting on the children’s medical records and blood tests, however, to confirm if anything was found in their systems.
After being hospitalized, the children were in the care of the Texas Department of Family Services, per Fox 26. During a custody hearing to determine where the children would be placed, they spoke positively about their mother, but not their father, KTRK reported. Currently, the children are in the care of their maternal grandparents.
In the meantime, many questions still remain about what led Jessica Quintana to try and kill her children. Meyers told KTRK that she was in critical condition for a time, so they have yet to interview her and get answers.
“Once we speak with her, we hope to get an understanding of her intentions with her and her intentions with the kids,” he said.
Domingo Quintana has not been charged in relation to the drowning, but Meyers says it’s “possible” that as they learn more, charges could arise.
The same day his family was taken to the hospital though, he was arrested on charges of animal cruelty. A cat was found on their property with signs of neglect and abuse, per Fox 26. He was released on a $5,000 bond and pleaded not guilty.
