SAN ANTONIO – A 33-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday morning after San Antonio police say she threw boiling water on a 2-year-old and a 13-year-old boy, causing burn injuries.
Officers identified the suspect as Stacy Gilbert, who was taken into custody following a call from a good Samaritan who reported seeing injured children.
According to police, officers found both children suffering from burn wounds. They were taken to a hospital for further treatment. Their conditions were not released.
Investigators said Gilbert became upset for an unknown reason before allegedly throwing the boiling water on the children.
Neighbors living near Maverick Creek, just north of Northeast Sports Park on Wetmore Drive, said the arrest was troubling but not entirely surprising.
Several residents, who asked not to be identified out of concern for possible backlash, said they had previously noticed what they described as signs of neglect at the home.
“Your job is to care for these children, and that is treacherous to do something like that,” one neighbor said.
Another resident said that they had seen police respond to the home more than once in the past and claimed that the children were sometimes allowed to play outside without shoes, even near broken glass.
“I can’t really imagine why anyone would do that,” another neighbor said. “They’re kids. There should be no reason.”
SAPD said the department could not confirm the relationship between Gilbert and the children and did not release details about how many children may have been living at the home or what would happen to them next.
Gilbert is charged with injury to a child with intent to cause bodily injury and injury to a child by reckless bodily injury.
The investigation is ongoing.
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