A San Antonio Fire Department engineer has been pulled off front-line duty after police say a 12-year-old girl with autism was found living alone in filthy conditions, surrounded by animal feces and a nonworking kitchen. The child was discovered during a weekend welfare check, setting off a criminal probe along with an internal SAFD review. City officials and police say the case is still very much active.
Arrest, charge and bond
Court records identify the firefighter as 45-year-old Jennifer Marie Torres, who is charged with child endangerment, a state-jail felony. According to KSAT, a Bexar County judge set her bond at $30,000. Jail logs show Torres was booked into custody and later released after posting bond. Records list a June 4 court date as prosecutors and detectives continue reviewing the case.
Welfare check revealed ‘complete disarray’
Police say the case started when a City of San Antonio code enforcement employee spotted a dead dog in the driveway of a home in the 4600 block of Spotted Oak Woods and requested a welfare check. Officers who went inside reported finding a 12-year-old girl alone and not wearing clothes.
Responding officers described the house as in “complete disarray.” They reported clusters of dog feces and cat droppings in one room and on a mattress, and said much of the kitchen did not work. The child told officers she has autism and ADHD and added that she was “not in any trouble.” She was later connected with Child Protective Services, according to details provided to KSAT.
What Texas law says…