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
Texas handles child abandonment and endangerment cases under Penal Code §22.041. Many forms of child endangerment are charged as state-jail felonies, with penalties that can increase if prosecutors say the conduct put a child in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury. The statute outlines what the state must prove and the possible punishment ranges in different scenarios. The full text is available in the Texas Penal Code.
Department response and precedent
The San Antonio Fire Department told KSAT it has placed Torres on administrative duty “pursuant to standard protocol” while the criminal investigation plays out. Local reporting notes that SAFD has reassigned firefighters to administrative roles in previous cases when criminal allegations surfaced, to keep them out of field work during an investigation. As reported by the San Antonio Express-News, that kind of reassignment is a typical step while both criminal and internal reviews run their course.
Police say Child Protective Services has been notified and investigators are still involved as detectives execute warrants and collect evidence. DFPS guidance explains how reported concerns are triaged, how caseworkers and investigators may interview children and families during the intake process, and how the agency sets priorities and timelines for response. Officials have not released additional details while the criminal case and CPS review continue.
