Texas parents charged after baby found with 0.383 BAC in playpen

A six‑month‑old baby girl was found barely breathing in a playpen on Tuesday night in a suburban home outside Dallas after her three‑year‑old brother woke up, crawled to her and called 911. Paramedics later measured the infant’s blood‑alcohol concentration at 0.383 percent – more than seven times the legal limit for adult drivers – and said she was close to death. Police say the child’s parents were asleep in another room, unaware that their baby had been left unattended while they drank.

The case highlights a growing concern over adult alcohol consumption and child safety. In 2023, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse reported a 12 % rise in alcohol‑related child neglect incidents nationwide. Experts say high blood‑alcohol levels in infants can cause severe respiratory depression, seizures, and permanent brain damage. The infant’s BAC of 0.383 is far above the threshold that typically triggers coma in adults, and medical staff told investigators that without her brother’s quick action the baby would almost certainly have died. The incident has revived calls for stricter enforcement of child‑endangerment laws when parents are intoxicated.

The parents, identified as 28‑year‑old Michael and 26‑year‑old Sarah Torres, have been taken into custody and charged with child endangerment and felony intoxication. Their attorney told reporters they intend to plead not guilty and will argue that the parents were unaware of the baby’s condition. The child remains in the hospital under pediatric intensive care, but doctors say she is showing signs of improvement after aggressive treatment. Child‑welfare officials have placed the toddler’s older brother in protective custody while the investigation continues.

The district attorney’s office said it will seek a sentence that reflects the seriousness of the offense and the risk to the child’s life. Prosecutors may also pursue a civil protection order to keep the parents away from the children during the case. The incident is expected to prompt local lawmakers to consider new ordinances requiring mandatory alcohol‑screening for parents in households with infants, and to increase funding for public awareness campaigns about the dangers of drinking around young children.