A Texas woman, Jennifer Delgado, is now facing criminal charges after police discovered five children, including two infants, abandoned in her car. The vehicle was found in a small ditch following a police chase.
According to Fox affiliate KWKT, the chase occurred on Aug. 11 at approximately 8:45 p.m. It started when McLennan County Sheriffs responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at a property on Martin Drive.
An intense argument between a couple caught the attention of witnesses, who later contacted the police. According to Texas CBS affiliate KWTX, witnesses reported that one of the individuals involved in the altercation crashed their vehicle in front of a house and promptly fled the scene.
Sheriffs quickly located the vehicle, reportedly driven by Delgado, speeding along Bob Johnson Road in China Spring.
According to KWKT, an officer activated his police lights and sirens in an attempt to pull over the woman, but she did not respond. Authorities reported that she fled down China Spring Road, causing police to temporarily halt their chase.
According to KWTX, sheriffs decided to halt the pursuit after noticing that Delgado had multiple children in the vehicle, visible through the windows.
Soon after, sheriffs reported that a deputy noticed Delgado’s maroon Ford SUV in a small ditch.
Delgado was not found in the car, which is currently located off East Cougar Lane.
Deputies discovered that upon their approach and inspection of the SUV, it contained three children and two infants.
It remains uncertain from the initial reports whether any of the children, including the infants, were properly secured in the car seats located in the second row of the vehicle during the chase.
According to KWTX, the car was discovered with the engine and lights turned off by the police.
Emergency medical responders assessed all of the children. According to reports, one child mentioned experiencing discomfort in their arm, while another child mentioned having a headache.
An affidavit reportedly revealed that three of the children claimed their mother was driving at a high speed.
According to authorities, a call was made to the police regarding Delgado following the accident, which assisted in her whereabouts being determined. A witness observed the 32-year-old woman in her backyard, visibly distressed and expressing a strong desire to go back to her SUV.
Delgado was arrested and booked into the McLennan County Jail on Aug. 10, but according to the latest publicly available jail records, she is no longer listed as an inmate. A woman is facing charges related to child abandonment, evading arrest, and fleeing from law enforcement.
The McLennan County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.