Gatesville couple charged after welfare check finds malnourished baby

Gatesville police found a 9-month-old child showing signs of extreme malnourishment after responding to a welfare check, and the baby was hospitalized before charges were filed against a couple tied to the case. The incident reported July 21 puts child safety at the center of a case that unfolded in Coryell County’s county seat.

The child was described by authorities as extremely malnourished, a condition that prompted immediate medical attention. The case involved a Central Texas couple, and the welfare check became the first direct intervention by police before the baby was taken to a hospital. The charges followed after officers saw the child’s condition firsthand.

A separate Coryell County case from August 2025 adds background on two Gatesville residents named Adam David Bauer and Heather Bauer. In that case, investigators found 65 dogs, three miniature ponies and other animals in dangerous or deplorable conditions, and the couple was charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals. That animal-cruelty case is separate from the infant case, but it shows the family had already faced serious legal trouble in Gatesville.

For Coryell County residents who suspect a child is being abused or neglected, the Texas Abuse Hotline is 1-800-252-5400. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. Gatesville Police Department can be reached for non-emergency matters at 254-865-2226, and the department has also used 254-535-3679 when its non-emergency lines were down. The Coryell County Sheriff’s Office can be reached at 254-865-7201, with its office at 510 Leon Street in Gatesville.