How Could You? Hall of Shame-Marissa Salas and Thomas Torres UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From San Antonio, Texas, foster mother Marissa Salas and her boyfriend Thomas Torres “indicted this week on multiple charges in connection with the abuse of their 15-month-old foster child.

Marissa Salas and her boyfriend Thomas Torres were among 199 felony indictments handed down by Bexar County grand juries this week.

Salas, 19, faces four indictments of intentionally and knowingly causing serious bodily harm to a child, while Torres, 24, faces two counts with similar charges.

Bexar County deputies were first called to the couple’s home in the …of Novella at the end of June in response to an infant who was having a seizure. When first responders arrived, they saw that the child had bruises, bite marks and a bump on her head, the Express-News previously reported.

The child was taken to the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, where doctors found more injuries including several fractures on her hip, toe and skull, as well as a burn mark on her thigh. Officials said the child likely had been forcefully hit in the head.

When questioned by police, Salas said she had dropped the child and didn’t see the injuries, according to reports. Investigators also believe Torres had thrown the baby in the air inside the home, resulting in the child’s head hitting the ceiling.

Officials believe there were at least six incidents of abuse involving both parents.

Reports stated that Torres would laugh during the assaults. He later told police that he would bite the child, pick her up by one arm, and spank her, all out of anger, the Express-News said.

The case was prosecuted by the Family Violence Division of the District Attorney’s Office in the 437th District Court.

Their charges are first-degree felonies, punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison.”

Foster parents indicted on child abuse charges after 15-month-old found with burns, bite marks
[San Antonio Express-News 9/23/22 by Taylor Pettaway]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“A San Antonio woman who critically injured a 15-month-old girl in her care was ordered to begin serving a 20-year prison sentence immediately on Monday, after a judge denied her motion to further delay sentencing.

Marissa Salas, 23, was handcuffed and taken from the courtroom by a bailiff as her supporters sobbed in the gallery of 437th District Court.

Her attorneys asked Judge Joel Perez to delay sentencing another two months, as an ongoing custody fight over her 6-week-old son plays out in civil court.[Sorry, but you DON’T get to decide when you start serving your sentence!!!!!!]

“The custody battle over there: honestly, I don’t have a dog in that fight,” Perez said in court on Monday. “You’re here to answer for the injuries that the child in this case incurred.”

Last month, a civil court judge had the then-4-day-old baby taken from Salas and kept at the Bexar County Courthouse until he could be handed over to Child Protective Services.

The Oct. 7 order from Judge Mary Lou Alvarez caused significant backlash, as the decision was made before CPS or the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office was involved in the case.

Alvarez confirmed the father’s paternity but ruled him and Salas unfit to care for the child, the judge’s handwritten docket notes show.

Alvarez’s docket notes indicate the father had tested positive for THC and Salas was set to be sentenced in the unrelated felony child abuse case.

The judge’s decision prompted a scathing rebuke from the DA’s office days later in a letter sent to CPS.

The letter, written by Bexar County DA Civil Division Chief Larry Roberson, sought an administrative review of Alvarez’s “extraordinary actions.”

“The court, in the absence of any petition filed by this Office, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, or any other governmental entity, unilaterally determined that the biological parents were unfit and that the four-day old infant was in imminent danger of harm,” Roberson wrote.

“While this Office recognizes the Court’s inherent authority to take emergency action under appropriate circumstances in exigent instances to protect an infant from imminent danger, the facts of this matter could raise substantial due-process, statutory, and constitutional concerns.”

Legal experts who spoke to KSAT about Alvarez’s decision were torn on whether the judge acted appropriately.

Meredith Chacon, a former supervisor of the DA’s child abuse and neglect section, called Alvarez’s order unusual but not unprecedented in Bexar County.

“A district court judge has heard something that raises to a level of concern. I do believe she has the authority to demand that the department (CPS) come and look into it, to demand that they take custody at that moment, perhaps,” Chacon said. “If she had sent the baby home and something had happened, what would we be sitting here saying?”

In June 2022, Bexar County Sheriff’s deputies found a 15-month-old girl in Salas’ care with severe injuries, which included burn marks, a fractured skull and a brain bleed.

Salas was sentenced to 20 years in prison in April in the case.

However, under an agreement reached this summer between prosecutors and Salas’ defense attorney, Salas was allowed to stay out of jail until after her baby was born, due to it being a high-risk pregnancy.

In late October, Alvarez ordered Salas’ newborn to be returned to her care.

In the court order, Alvarez said the DA’s “unprecedented and abnormal” letter and CPS failing to intervene in the case contributed to her decision.

Chaotic start to baby’s life

Prior to sentencing Salas on Monday, Perez noted that the court had worked with her to ensure that her and her baby’s life were not put in peril and that those goals had now been accomplished.”

San Antonio mother whose newborn was kept at courthouse by judge gets 20-year prison sentence
[KSAT 11/18/25 by Dillon Collier]