Texas police are searching for a 2-year-old girl who has been missing since 2017.
The Austin police revealed that Virginia Gonzales, age 33, gave conflicting information to her relatives about her daughter Ava’s location. WVUE mentioned that she never officially reported her daughter missing, and law enforcement has not been able to confirm the identity of Ava’s father.
The authorities were made aware of Ava Gonzales’ apparent disappearance when her mother was taken into custody on April 24. Before this, a few weeks earlier, Virginia Gonzales’ 7-year-old daughter was found in a severely neglected and malnourished state in a closet at their residence. The girl’s grandmother made the shocking discovery after the child had been left in the 5-foot by 2-foot closet for approximately a month.
READ: Mom of Girl Missing Since 2017 Arrested After Other Daughter Is Found Starved in Cramped Closet
According to the Austin police, the closet where the young girl was kept had no light or ventilation. The space in the closet was restricted, leaving Virginia Gonzales’ daughter with only 3 feet by 1 foot, 10 inches of room to move around.
The 7-year-old girl reportedly weighed 29 pounds — and medical staff determined she suffered permanent brain damage due to ongoing malnutrition and starvation. Police said Virginia Gonzales only fed her a corndog and half a cup of water a day.
Virginia Gonzales allegedly ordered her other children to lock the 7-year-old in the closet because she had bladder issues and was getting into stuff. The victim’s 10-year-old brother said he was instructed to clean the closet because the girl was defecating and urinating in there, according to police.
Virginia Gonzales’ daughter who vanished in 2017 would be nine today. KVUE reported that there is no record of her seven children attending any school in Central Texas.
Virginia Gonzales is charged with serious bodily injury to a child. Her six children are in foster care while authorities continue to search for her daughter.
[Feature Photo: Austin police]
