In a disturbing incident in San Antonio, a 2-year-old boy was discovered wandering alone in the Westcreek subdivision, clad only in a soiled diaper, with no shirt, shoes, or adult supervision. The discovery was made on Tuesday morning, July 29, 2025, by Gabriella Rauhuff, a mother of five, who was driving home in the far west side neighborhood near Bright Pass and Hollow Trail, close to Loop 1604 and Potranco Road.
Rauhuff, who was returning from routine errands, spotted the toddler standing alone between two mailboxes. “I looked to my rearview mirror, then to the street in front of me, and then behind me because I’m like ‘there’s got to be someone,’” she recounted. Shocked by the absence of any guardian, she stopped her car, secured the child in her son’s car seat, and contacted the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office around 9:30 a.m. to report the situation. “He didn’t have shoes on, he didn’t have a shirt on…he was in nothing but a diaper, which I didn’t know was dirty until I put him in my son’s car seat,” Rauhuff said, describing the boy’s vulnerable state.
The toddler’s mother, 24-year-old Destiny Celaya, was later identified by authorities. According to reports, Celaya did not report her son missing until approximately 2.5 hours after Rauhuff’s call to deputies. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office located Celaya and arrested her on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, charging her with abandoning or endangering a child with knowledge, recklessness, and criminal negligence, a felony offense. During the investigation, deputies found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in Celaya’s home, further complicating the case.
Celaya was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center and released early Wednesday morning, July 30, 2025, after posting a $50,000 bond. When approached by reporters, Celaya declined to speak on camera, stating that the incident had been “blown out of proportion” and expressing her desire to have her children returned home. Child Protective Services (CPS) confirmed that the toddler, along with several other children from the household, were removed from Celaya’s care and placed with relatives as the investigation continues.
Rauhuff, reflecting on the incident, expressed her emotional turmoil: “He was tiny. He depended on any adult that he had around him. I mean, it just crushed me.” Her quick action ensured the child’s safety, and she expressed relief at being able to help, though the experience left her shaken.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has not released additional details about how the child came to be alone or the full scope of the investigation. CPS is continuing to monitor the situation, and the case remains ongoing as authorities work to ensure the safety and well-being of the children involved.
