San Antonio, Texas, October 16, 2017: District Attorney Nico LaHood announced Friday that Porucha Phillips, age 34, entered a plea to two counts of Injury to a Child – Serious Bodily Injury and received a sentence of 50 years in prison. She will not be eligible for parole until she has served 25 years of that sentence.
On April 28, 2016, a resident in the 8100 block of Chipping called 911 after hearing a child cry for several hours. Bexar County Sheriff’s deputies showed up at the location and looked over the fence, where they discovered two young children tied up in the backyard. The children, ages 3 and 4, were tied with a dog chain and leash. One of the children was tied up by the wrists and the other by the ankles. Deputies set both children free and they were transported to the hospital for treatment. The two children had numerous injuries. Inside the home, deputies found six children, ranging in age from 10 months old to 11 years old. All of the children were without adult supervision.
Phillips, the mother of the six children inside the home, showed up to the home with Deandre Dorch, an hour later. Cheryl Reed, the mother of the two children found outside tied up, claims she was in California. She returned to San Antonio several days later. The trio were all friends who had recently moved from California. All three defendants were questioned by Bexar County Sheriff’s Office investigators. All of the children are in the care of Child Protective Services. Dorch and Reed still face criminal charges of Injury to a Child – Serious Bodily Injury and Child Abandonment from this incident.
“What Porucha Phillips did to these children is beyond my understanding. Children are gifts from the Lord and should be treated as such. In the law, we call it a depraved heart and unfortunately there are others out there that have the same seared conscience,” said District Attorney LaHood. “I promise to continue my push for increased punishments for these chronic abusers during the next legislative session. Let me be clear, anyone that abuses those who cannot defend themselves - our communities’ most vulnerable (children, elderly & disabled) will be dealt with swiftly and harshly.”
Injury to a Child – Serious Bodily Injury is a first degree felony, punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison and up to a $10,000.00 fine. Child Abandonment is a second degree felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000.00 fine.