Darnisha Lumpkin, 34, faces charges of injury to a child and making a false report to a peace officer after Waco police say she left her autistic son home alone for hours while she attended a doctor's appointment, then invented an elaborate story about an intruder biting the boy.
Background
The incident occurred on July 27 when Waco Police Department officers responded to a call about an assault on Calumet Avenue in Waco, Texas. According to an affidavit obtained by KWTX, Lumpkin initially told responding officers she left her apartment around 3:10 p.m. for approximately 10 minutes to retrieve mail from the mailbox, leaving her son with autism unsupervised during that brief window.
When Lumpkin returned, she claimed the front door was open and her son had sustained injuries to his face, back, and arms, allegedly stating a belt or digital device cable may have caused the wounds. The mother then introduced an increasingly detailed narrative: an unknown man had entered their apartment, taken selfies on an iPad, broken the tablet, and bitten her son before departing.
However, responding officers observed no bite marks on the child, according to law enforcement. The case was subsequently referred to detectives with the Crimes Against Children Unit for further investigation.
The Investigation
As detectives delved deeper into Lumpkin's account, significant discrepancies emerged between her version of events and physical evidence. Security footage from the apartment complex revealed that no one was seen exiting through the back of the building between 12:30 p.m. and 4:10 p.m. on July 27—directly contradicting her claim about retrieving mail.
In early August, investigators forensically extracted data from the broken iPad referenced in Lumpkin's story. The device revealed messages indicating that Lumpkin had actually left the apartment to attend a scheduled doctor's appointment on July 27—the very day police were called about the alleged assault. This critical detail was omitted from every statement she provided to investigators, according to charging documents.
During an interview with detectives, Lumpkin maintained her original account but when confronted about medical records showing the doctor's visit, she repeatedly denied it before eventually admitting she had the appointment that day, authorities allege. She also acknowledged leaving her son unsupervised after he began throwing a tantrum.
In mid-August, investigators interviewed the child separately. According to charging documents, the victim stated he was "left home by himself playing Chicka Chicka boom boom" and that his mother "hit him with a belt and got him in big, big trouble."
The detective assigned to the case theorized in the affidavit that Lumpkin attempted to conceal the hours she spent away from her son—time during which she was actually at a medical appointment rather than retrieving mail as claimed.
Key Takeaways
- Darnisha Lumpkin, 34, has been charged with injury to a child and making a false report to a peace officer in McLennan County, Texas
- Police found no bite marks on the child despite Lumpkin's claim that an intruder bit her son
- Security footage showed no one exiting the apartment building between 12:30 p.m. and 4:10 p.m., contradicting her mailbox story
- Forensic extraction from a broken iPad revealed Lumpkin attended a doctor's appointment on July 27—a detail she never disclosed to investigators
- The child, who has autism, told investigators his mother hit him with a belt and left him home alone playing "Chicka Chicka boom boom"
- Lumpkin was arrested and booked into the McLennan County Jail; she has since posted bond
What's Next
Lumpkin faces two felony charges stemming from the alleged incident. While she has been released on bond, the case remains active as prosecutors prepare for potential proceedings in McLennan County court. Investigators continue to build their case using physical evidence, security footage, and forensic data extracted from electronic devices recovered at the scene.
The child's welfare remains a priority for child protective services, which have been involved in related proceedings, according to law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation.