ALLEN, Texas — An Allen woman who was arrested during a SWAT raid at her home this week tried to put one of her children in an oven, and her children also tested positive for cocaine, according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by WFAA.
Lul Top, 36, was arrested Monday after a SWAT standoff at her home in the 1500 block of Tanglewood Drive. She faces six charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to jail records.
Top was taken into custody Monday after officers deployed chemical agents to get her out of the house. She reportedly barricaded herself in the attic when SWAT officers showed up to arrest her.
Officers arrived at Top's home after investigating allegations that she abused her children, according to the search warrant affidavit. Police started investigating Top on Jan. 8, when officers were called to her home on a disturbance call.
Police said Top hit her husband in the head with a piece of wood -- an assault witnessed by her six children.
Child Protective Services removed the children from the home, and investigators began interviewing them about their mother, the affidavit said. During those interviews, the affidavit said, Top's children told investigators that she had tried to put one of them in a hot oven.
The affidavit said Top took the child "and balled her up so she could fit inside the oven." Another child fought Top to stop her and get their sibling to safety, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit also detailed allegations that Top "drinks a lot of alcohol" and makes her children look for more alcohol when she can't find any.
"When the children can’t find the alcohol, Top becomes angry and threatens to cut the children’s hands and fingers off," the affidavit said.
The affidavit noted that two of Top's children had "scars resembling knife cuts." One child told investigators that Top "has forced [the child] to drink a brown colored alcohol," according to the affidavit.
The affidavit said Top denied harming her children but admitted having cocaine in the house, claiming the drugs belonged to her husband.
When investigators had Top's children tested for cocaine, all six tested positive, the affidavit said.
WFAA also learned Top was already on probation for two other felonies, according to Collin County court documents.
In February 2020, she pleaded guilty to an assault on a peace officer/judge, and in July 2020 she was charged with an assault of a public servant and also pleaded guilty in that case. A judge granted her deferred adjudication and sentenced her to 10 years probation for both crimes, to be served concurrently.
Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County officials could not speak about this particular case because the group is involved in the investigation, but leaders wanted to highlight potential signs of child abuse.
A child could be a victim of abuse if they have unexplained injuries, experience changes in behavior or sleep patterns, or become afraid of people or places.
"I always tell people, 'Trust your gut,'" said Advocacy Center Chief Operating Officer Dan Powers. “I get asked quite often, ‘What if I’m wrong?’ And my response is, ‘What if you’re right?’ This is a child. They often can’t speak for themselves. It’s up to us.“
Texas law requires those who suspect a child is being abused to report it.
“Unfortunately, I think the public has no idea how much child abuse really exists in our communities. There’s a lot of evil people out there who hurt kids," said Powers.
Those who suspect a child is a victim of abuse should call 911 or the child abuse hotline at 1-800-252-5400.