According to the Liberty County Sheriff's Office, the father of the three children, Domingo Quintana, 61, was arrested and charged with animal cruelty.
Quintana was booked into the Liberty County Jail on Tuesday morning, according to jail records.
Investigators said Monday morning that Quintana called 911 and reported that his wife may have been trying to harm the children. When law enforcement arrived on the scene, they found the mother still in the water, and the three children wet, but on solid ground.
Quintana had told investigators he rescued his children. The mother and the 11-year-old child are still in critical condition. Investigators say the 15-year-old and 6-year-old are doing well.
Per a charging document obtained by ABC13, it was during the course of being called out to investigate the near-drowning incident that investigators found the emaciated cat.
Authorities said the cat was confined within an insulated shop building that was not climate-controlled, and the door was locked. Authorities also said the cat was severely emaciated, with visible signs of neglect. A bowl was reportedly seen inside the structure, but no food or water was available.
For now, Quintana remains in the Liberty County Jail on the Class A Misdemeanor of animal cruelty. As for any potential charges related to the near drowning, the sheriff's department says it has no new information on that.
On Tuesday evening, Child Protective Services confirmed to ABC13 that the agency has taken custody of all three children. When they are released from the hospital, the children will go into foster care.
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