Couple accused of abandoning critically burned 1-year-old girl at hospital

SAN ANTONIO — A Texas couple is accused of abandoning her critically burned 1-year-old girl at a San Antonio hospital, authorities said Monday.

>> Read more trending news

According to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, Amanda Mann, 31, was arrested on Sunday, KENS-TV reported. The child’s father, Dustin Michael Lawrence, was also taken into custody, according to the television station.

Mann and Lawrence were each charged with endangering a child, a third-degree felony; another count of endangering a child; one count of injuring a child; and four counts of abandoning a child with intent.

Salazar said that the child was burned Friday evening with boiling water, WOAI-TV reported.

Salazar said that Mann allegedly called Lawrence and said she needed ointment to treat burns because a pot of boiling water had spilled onto the child, according to KENS.

According to the sheriff, Mann and Lawrence allegedly injected the child with methamphetamine to relieve the girl’s pain and allow her to sleep through the night, Salazar said.

When the child woke up on Saturday, a family friend advised the couple to take the girl to a hospital.

Deputies said that Mann allegedly admitted the child to the hospital but did not return, according to WOAI.

Salazar said that deputies visited the hospital and discovered that the child had severe facial burns, along with burns on her upper and lower body, KENS reported.

“Frankly, it’s pretty infuriating,” Salazar said during a news conference. “And some of this stuff is unimaginable.”

Deputies said that three other boys — ages 2, 6 and 8 — were found at the residence, KENS reported. Salazar said there were also 2-month-old twins at the residence. Salazar told reporters that Mann left the 8-year-old in charge of his other siblings while taking the 1-year-old girl to an area hospital.

The 6-year-old child allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine, according to WOAI.

Bail for Mann was set at $450,000, the sheriff’s office said.

“Honestly, based upon the level of outright torture that this baby had to endure, I wish there was something else we could charge them with,” Salazar said during the news conference.

An investigation is ongoing.