8 Unattended Children Found in San Antonio, TX, (2 tied up in backyard)

[MuffyBee]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/crime/article/BCSO-Two-toddlers-were-found-tied-up-in-the-back-7383524.php
Sheriff: 8 children rescued, woman arrested after 'horrific' abuse discovered at San Antonio home
Two of the toddlers were tied up in the backyard, deputies said.
Updated April 30, 2016

SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County Sheriff's deputies said a woman arrested Friday in a "horrific" case of child abuse — after discovering eight unattended children, including two crying toddlers tied and chained up in a backyard, at a home on the Northeast Side — is pregnant.
Porucha Phillips, 34, was charged with a third-degree felony count of injury to a child by omission resulting in bodily injury and another resulting in serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office confirmed Friday. Bexar County Sheriff's Office spokesman James Keith confirmed late Friday that Phillips is in fact expecting another child.
Saturday afternoon authorities released the booking photo of Phillips.
Investigators believe Phillips is the mother of the six unattended children — ranging in age from 10 months to 13 years old — found inside the home at 8105 Chipping Drive.
Investigators allege Phillips was also responsible for the care of the 3-year-old girl who was found tied to a door with a leash and a 2-year-old boy who was chained up in the back yard, although the exact nature of their relationship is still unclear.
Deputies were initially dispatched to the home after an area resident called around 11:45 p.m. Thursday to report possible child abuse, Keith said.
The caller told deputies they could hear a child that had been crying in the home's backyard for some time, Keith said. Deputies arrived shortly after and knocked on the front door of the house, but no one answered.
 
When the first responders grabbed a ladder to look into the backyard, they saw a 2-year-old boy chained to the ground, and a 3-year-old girl tied to a door with a dog leash.

Deputies went into the yard and freed the children, who were taken to an area hospital to be checked out. Keith said the girl had a broken arm and was taken to an intensive care unit.
Authorities made their way into the home and found the six additional children inside. While investigators were still at the scene, Phillips and the father of the children showed up at the house and were detained by police.

The father of the six children has not yet been charged. Keith said investigators believe the man was at work during the incident, and that he is still being questioned Thursday afternoon.
Keith said investigators are actively searching for the parents of the two children bound in the back yard. All eight children are now in the care of Child Protective Services.
The home is owned by Pho Han D Family Limited Partnership, which owns at least two dozen other properties in Bexar County, according to appraisal district records. Calls placed to numbers associated with the partnership and properties were either not answered or the line has been disconnected.
 

[MuffyBee]

http://www.chron.com/news/local/crime/article/mother-2-children-abuse-san-antonio-7387909.php#item-38488
Sheriff: California mother connected to 'horrific' child abuse case in San Antonio
May 2, 2016

SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County Sheriff's Office investigators have located the mother of two children found chained and tied up outside of a home in Northeast Bexar County last week.
The woman, who has not been publicly named, was tracked down in California over the weekend, according to Sheriff's Office spokesman James Keith. Her two toddlers were found along with six other unattended children at a home at 8105 Chipping Drive on Friday by deputies in what officials called a "horrific" case of child abuse.
"The biggest question now is what is she doing in California and why are her kids here," Keith said.
Porucha Denise Phillips, 34, the pregnant mother of the six children — ranging in age from 10 months to 13 years old — who were found inside the home, remained in Bexar County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail Monday. She faces two felony charges on two counts of injury to a child by omission.

Keith said the newly found woman is cooperating with the investigation, and authorities are still trying to determine what role she had in the incident, if any.
 

[MuffyBee]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/crime/article/Children-found-restrained-at-Northeast-Home-7386077.php
Children found restrained at Northeast Side home continue recovery
May 2, 2016

SAN ANTONIO - New details were released Saturday in the shocking discovery of two toddlers who were chained and leashed outside a Northeast Side home in which six unsupervised children were also found.
Porucha Denise Phillips, 34, the pregnant mother of the six children in the home, remained in Bexar County Jail on Saturday in lieu of $150,000 bail. She faces two felony charges on two counts of injury to a child by omission.
When asked if the two children freed showed any signs of torture, Bexar County Sheriff's Office spokesman James Keith said "if you consider a child chained up with metal chain torture, then yes."
Keith said of the two restrained children, deputies found the 2-year-old boy chained to the ground, and the 3-year-old girl tied to a door with a dog leash.
"Both of them were dehydrated, had old bruises and new bruises, several scratches," Keith said. "The little girl had what appeared to be a fractured arm and injuries to her foot."
Child Protective Services spokeswoman Mary Walker said the two children were continuing their recovery in the hospital Saturday. The girl had been in intensive care on Friday.
As for the other six children, aged 10 months to 13 years old, found in the home, they remain in CPS custody.