Pregnant mother accused in brutal child abuse case moved to new jail unit after reports of assault

Porucha Phillips is taken from the magistrate's office in an SAPD transport vehicle just after 6 p.m. on April 29, 2016. Porucha Phillips is taken from the magistrate's office in an SAPD transport vehicle just after 6 p.m. on April 29, 2016. Photo: TOM REEL, STAFF / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Photo: TOM REEL, STAFF / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Pregnant mother accused in brutal child abuse case moved to new jail unit after reports of assault 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — A pregnant woman allegedly responsible for the care of two toddlers who were found tied and chained in the backyard of a Northeast Side home last week has been moved to a new unit at the Bexar County Jail following reports that she was assaulted by other inmates.

Porucha Phillips, 34, was arrested on April 29 after deputies discovered the children — a girl, 3, and a boy, 4 — outside of her home in the Camelot II subdivision hours earlier. Phillips is not the mother of the two children, but is alleged to have been responsible for the care. Her six children were found unattended at the home and have been transferred to state custody along with the two toddlers.

MORE: BCSO: 2 more parents face charges in 'horrific' San Antonio child abuse case as details emerge

Phillips, who is pregnant and facing two felony charges, reported the alleged assaults, but officials have not been able to verify the claims, said BCSO spokesman James Keith, who confirmed that Phillips has been transferred to a new unit within the jail annex, where female inmates are housed.

Authorities on Friday morning announced the arrest of Cheryl Reed, the 30-year-old mother of the two children, and an arrest warrant for Deandre Dorch, the 36-year-old father of some of the children found unattended inside the home who has been accused of injury to a child.

Deputies are currently searching for Dorch, who is the common-law husband of Phillips and is believed to still be in San Antonio.

Officials have said it is unclear who tied up the children.

RELATED: Tied up outside in the rain, children had been abused for weeks



Reed was taken into custody at a motel off Interstate 10 near Vance Jackson Road late Thursday, said Keith. Reed, who is the mother of the two children discovered bound in the backyard, faces two third-degree felony counts of injury to a child.

Reed came to San Antonio several days ago after investigators tracked her down in California while investigating the April 28 abuse case.

RELATED: Children rescued, woman arrested after 'horrific' abuse discovered

Investigators have said that Phillips was responsible for Reed's two children, but are still trying to determine the exact nature of their relationship.

Keith said Reed's charges stem from a separate incident in February of 2016 and November of 2015 in which she allegedly grabbed a switch from a tree and whipped the two children.

According to the findings of a preliminary investigation, Dorch may have threatened Reed after she left the state in February, leaving the two children in San Antonio, according to the Sheriff's Office and an affidavit. Dorch and Phillips sought money from Reed.

Dorch told investigators that he saw Reed whip both children with a switch from a tree several times between November 2015 and February 2016. However, Dorch allegedly told investigators that he didn't report the alleged offenses because he's not a "snitch" and he's not "God," the sheriff's office said Friday.

The two toddlers had hundreds of injuries and scars from old and fresh injuries that could have taken place over months or years, doctors told investigators. The girl also suffered from hypothermia, according to the sheriff's office.

Investigators are still gathering more evidence in the case and working to determine whether any other adults will be charged in the case, or if more charges will be filed against Phillips, Reed and Dorch.

Staff writer Joshua Fechter contributed to this report.

mdwilson@express-news.net

Twitter: @MDWilsonSA