A Texas mother is charged with child abuse after allegedly beating her four children with a dog leash, turning on a gas stove, and threatening to burn their hair if they did not admit to leaving a tissue on the floor at home.
Ebony Gonzalez, 31, faces four counts of child injury. According to court records, the alleged abuse occurred on Wednesday morning at their Katy home, a Houston suburb.
According to the probable cause arrest affidavit, Gonzalez became upset when she discovered a tissue on the floor and none of her four children, ages 11, 11, 8, and 6, admitted to dropping it.
Cops say she beat each one with a dog leash. According to the affidavit, she then threatened to put their heads on a stove and burn their hair.
The investigation began when one of the “terrified” children handed a note to a friend detailing the alleged abuse. According to police, the friend then reported the incident to authorities.
Detectives placed the children in protective custody and interviewed them. Police reported that two of the children had red welts and bruises on their upper backs.
A third claimed her mother yanked her hair and kicked her. According to the affidavit, the fourth child refused to speak with investigators despite having visible marks.
Gonzalez was arrested and taken to Harris County Jail, where she has since posted a $10,000 bond on each charge. Her next court date is set for Thursday. She was appointed as an attorney.
The defendant cannot have unsupervised contact with her children. According to ABC affiliate KTRK, the children are with their grandmother. Child Protective Services is investigating the situation.
