Virginia Gonzales (City of Austin/Austin Police Department).
A mother in Texas is facing felony charges for neglecting her 7-year-old daughter by confining her in a dark closet with no access to food or a bathroom. The mother, Virginia Gonzales, 33, is charged with causing serious bodily injury to a child as a result of the horrifying conditions the daughter was subjected to. The child was found severely malnourished, weighing only 29 pounds, and covered in filth after spending weeks locked in the closet, according to court documents obtained by local ABC affiliate KVUE.
The siblings of the young girl revealed to the police that Gonzales instructed them to keep their sister confined in the tiny space, which was described as approximately 3 feet by 1 foot and 10 inches in size. The child’s bladder issues and tendency to get into things were cited as reasons for this inhumane treatment, highlighting a disturbing lack of empathy and care on the part of the mother.
The girl was reportedly found by her grandmother at the mother’s residence in Austin.
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This shocking case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and reporting any signs of child abuse or neglect. All children deserve to be treated with compassion and provided with basic necessities, and it is crucial for communities to remain aware and proactive in safeguarding the well-being of vulnerable individuals. The legal proceedings against Gonzales will hopefully bring justice for the young victim and ensure that steps are taken to prevent such atrocities from occurring in the future.
The children, which range in age from 2 to 14, told their grandmother that the girl was being punished by Gonzales for “getting into stuff” and eating things she was “not supposed to,” according to police.
The victim’s brother, who is 10, said the girl was allegedly only allowed to eat one corn dog a day and given a half-cup of water to drink. She defecated and urinated inside of the closet, according to her siblings.
Austin cops have placed the children in protective custody and are now looking for another girl, Ava, from the Gonzales family who’s been missing since 2017. She was 9 years old when she disappeared, according to a press release.
Cops say the closet victim suffered permanent brain damage and prolonged starvation as a result of the imprisonment, which was discovered on April 3. The closet where the girl was allegedly being held was barricaded.
Authorities have asked anyone with information related to the missing sibling, Ava, to contact the Austin Police Department.
