San Antonio Mother Arrested for Allegedly Coordinating Brutal YMCA Stabbing During Planned Child Custody Exchange

Melanie Gomez and Abel Rivas face charges for the stabbing of a San Antonio father. Police say the attack was planned during a child custody swap.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 26, 2026, 7:08 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from People

Violent Ambush During Scheduled Custody Transfer

A routine child custody exchange at a San Antonio community center escalated into a life-threatening confrontation when Oscar Javier Barbosa was repeatedly stabbed. The incident occurred outside the Davis-Scott Family YMCA on Iowa Street, where Barbosa had arrived to hand over his two children to their mother, Melanie Sierra Gomez. According to police reports, the victim was actively engaged in a phone conversation with his current girlfriend when the assault began, providing investigators with immediate leads regarding the identity of his attackers.

Allegations of a Orchestrated Revenge Plot

Law enforcement officials believe the stabbing was not a random act of violence but a calculated conspiracy between two embittered former partners. Detectives allege that Gomez, 32, coordinated the assault with Abel Ali Rivas, who is the ex-boyfriend of Barbosa’s new partner. This complex web of relationships suggests a retaliatory motive, as the two suspects allegedly worked in tandem to target Barbosa during a moment of parental vulnerability. Barbosa sustained critical wounds to his stomach and arms, necessitating emergency surgery at a local medical facility.

Criminal Profiles and Prior Legal History

At the time of the stabbing, Gomez was already serving a period of probation related to a 2024 charge of making terroristic threats. Her involvement in this violent felony represents a significant violation of her deferred adjudication agreement, which was originally sparked by threats intended to cause imminent bodily injury. Following the attack, Gomez was taken into custody on February 24, 2024, and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She was later released on bond as the investigation into her co-conspirator continued.