A San Antonio couple has been arrested after police say their two-year-old child was found with untreated severe burns and a broken arm that had gone without medical care for months.
Tyreesha Deshay Robinson, 32, and Devien Marquis Wheeler, 31, were taken into custody Friday and booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center, according to jail records. Both now face charges of injury to a child, elderly, or disabled individual with intent to cause serious bodily injury or mental impairment.
The investigation began on August 22 when authorities were notified of a child with visible burns and a healing right arm fracture. According to arrest affidavits, Robinson later told investigators the burn incident had occurred in late May or early June, reports Express-News.
Robinson said she had been cooking spaghetti while bathing the child and briefly stepped out of the bathroom. She recalled hearing the child scream and, upon returning, saw Wheeler walking away. She then discovered her child with severe burns.
The affidavits allege Wheeler deliberately poured boiling water onto the toddler. Investigators said the pattern of injuries matched burns caused by hot liquid poured from above. Doctors described the wounds as third-degree burns that left scarring and hair loss.
Instead of seeking medical attention, Robinson admitted she treated the child’s burns with a first aid kit. She told investigators she was “scared to lose” her child to Child Protective Services if she went to a hospital, according to local ABC affiliate KSAT.
During a medical evaluation, doctors also discovered the child had a “healing broken right arm that will require surgery for repair.” Robinson acknowledged she had known about the injury but did not seek treatment.
According to Wheeler’s affidavit, Robinson told authorities she was afraid of him, which contributed to her decision not to report the abuse or take the child for medical care. She also claimed Wheeler did not have a good relationship with the child’s biological father and that this animosity was “the reason why he caused injury” to the child.
The documents further allege Wheeler has previously assaulted other children in the household, though details of those incidents were not released.
Robinson and Wheeler remain in custody as prosecutors pursue charges in what investigators describe as a disturbing case of prolonged child abuse. Officials have not disclosed the current condition of the toddler, but medical staff confirmed the child will require surgery and long-term care for the injuries.