Maud Couple Charged With Child Endangerment, 13 Counts Of Animal Cruelty

MAUD, Texas — A Maud couple is facing child endangerment and more than a dozen animal cruelty charges after Bowie County investigators say a search of their Church Street home uncovered emaciated animals living in filth and a malnourished infant who was hospitalized for “failure to thrive.”

Thomas Wayne Pipkins, 42, and Raquel Elizabeth Marra, 26, both of Maud, were each charged with one count of abandoning or endangering a child and 13 counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals, the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies had recently received several complaints about mistreated animals at the residence. Pipkins and Marra told deputies the dogs were “rescues” that were in the process of being wormed, and on later visits offered excuses for the animals’ poor health while refusing to allow deputies access to animals kept inside the home.

A concurrent Texas Child Protective Services investigation into the neglect of a child at the home brought the case to a head. CPS alerted the sheriff’s office to what investigators described as deplorable conditions and the maltreatment of five dogs and numerous cats, and provided photos of the animals.

Investigator Michelle Alexander obtained a search warrant for the home, where investigators said they found conditions “unsuitable for animals, much less a child,” with animal urine, feces and vomit left uncleaned throughout the house. The animals were emaciated and in visible medical distress, according to the release. All were seized and taken to a local veterinarian, whose examination confirmed neglect.

The CPS investigation revealed similar concerns for an infant living in the home, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators said the living conditions were unsanitary, with little to no food available for the child. The infant continued to lose weight due to lack of feeding and was hospitalized over “failure to thrive” concerns. A pediatric nurse practitioner documented that the infant suffered from moderate malnutrition resulting in observable physical effects — including a low thyroid level and an intermittently slow heart rate — findings the practitioner described as consistent with child physical neglect.

Investigators also noted the home was filled with new electronics, including several large-screen televisions with retail stickers still attached, new game consoles, a countertop ice maker, Wi-Fi service and new cellphones — leading the sheriff’s office to conclude the neglect was not the result of financial hardship.

Bond for each defendant was set at $50,000 on the child endangerment charge and $20,000 on each of the 13 animal cruelty counts, for a total of $310,000 apiece.

The case number is B26-08865. The investigation involved both the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Child Protective Services.