Mother of Woman, 7, Discovered ‘Locked in Closet’ and Fed One Corn Canine a Day Speaks Out In Courtroom

Virginia Gonzales is going through costs together with harm to a baby inflicting critical harm following her arrest again in Could, after her 7-year-old daughter was discovered “locked in a closet and ravenous,” per police.

It was solely after her arrest that police discovered Gonzales had by no means reported the disappearance of one other little one, a nine-year-old woman who’s been lacking since December 2017.

Gonzales was in court docket for a bond listening to this week, with KXAN reporting on what went down inside.

The kid’s grandmother known as police when she went to the house and located the 7-year-old woman confined to a closet.

The closet measured lower than 5-feet by 2-feet, per court docket filings, although with different objects additionally in there, they imagine her residing area was roughly 3 toes by 1 foot, 10 inches. There was no mild or air flow. NBC Information experiences it was barricaded by 75-pound bins in entrance of it.

In keeping with court docket paperwork, the woman was dirty and weighed simply 29 kilos when she was rescued. Medical workers decided that she suffered “reasonable to extreme cerebral atrophy” resulting in everlasting mind injury because of extended malnutrition and hunger. “She is going to by no means recuperate,” the affidavit states.

The six different youngsters in the home, ranging in age from 2 to 14, advised their grandmother, per court docket paperwork, that they had been ordered to lock their sister within the closet as a result of she had bladder management points, was “at all times stepping into stuff,” and consuming issues she was “not presupposed to.”

A ten-year-old brother stated he was advised to scrub the closet as a result of she would defecate and urinate in there, per KVUE. He stated the woman was solely allowed to eat a single sizzling canine or corndog a day and half a cup of water.

The opposite six youngsters “appeared bodily wholesome,” in line with Austin Police Detective Russell Constable at a information convention on Tuesday. Investigators reported that the house’s fridge, freezer, and pantry had been all effectively stocked with meals.

In the course of the listening to, Gonzales reportedly did not deny her daughter had been put in a closet — however pushed again at allegations she was there for presumably days or perhaps weeks.

“I instructed them to not let her out of the [bed]room however not the closet,” Gonzales stated she advised her different youngsters as she testified. “We would catch her within the restroom doing one thing unhealthy. It was simpler for [my sons] to look at her that manner.”

A police detective testified that textual content messages between Gonzales and one in all her youngsters learn, “Clear the closet after which throw her again in.” Describing the kid’s situation, the detective additionally stated that “the fats in her cheeks was nonexistent,” claiming, “Her physique had used these shops to maintain itself.”

Gonzales, nonetheless, insisted she “had sufficient meals for everybody within the house” — earlier than saying, “I do not dispute that I used to be within the improper. I do know what I’ve performed was improper. I need to battle for my children. I am able to do no matter I must hold my youngsters in my life.”

As authorities had been initially investigating the closet incident, they found Gonzales had one other daughter, Ava, who has been lacking since 2017 — however whose disappearance was by no means reported to authorities. The woman could be 9 now.

In keeping with ABC affiliate KVUE, police state that Virginia has given “conflicting info to many alternative members of the family” relating to Ava’s whereabouts, nor have authorities been in a position to positively establish the lacking woman’s father.

In the course of the listening to this week, Gonzales reportedly stated a person named “Saul Jimenez” took Ava from her when she was residing out of her automotive. That man, she allegedly advised police, was the woman’s father … however she claimed he was deported to Mexico in 2018, earlier than Jimenez’s sister took Ava along with her to Mexico as effectively.

APD Lacking Individuals & Chilly Instances detective Amanda Lewis stated they had been dealing with the disappearance “as a murder investigation,” including they do not “have any proof that she is alive.” Gonzales, in court docket, reportedly testified that she didn’t kill her daughter.

Her bond was then raised to $250,000, earlier than Gonzales pled not responsible to the costs. Her trial was set for January 2016.

If you’re experiencing or witness little one abuse, name the Childhelp Nationwide Youngster Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Youngster or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. When you imagine a baby is in rapid hazard, name 911.