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

Virginia Gonzales is going through prices together with damage to a toddler inflicting severe damage following her arrest again in Might, after her 7-year-old daughter was discovered “locked in a closet and ravenous,” per police.

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

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

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

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

Based on courtroom paperwork, the lady was dirty and weighed simply 29 kilos when she was rescued. Medical employees decided that she suffered “reasonable to extreme cerebral atrophy” resulting in everlasting mind harm resulting from 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 courtroom paperwork, that they have 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 alleged to.”

A ten-year-old brother mentioned he was advised to scrub the closet as a result of she would defecate and urinate in there, per KVUE. He mentioned the lady was solely allowed to eat a single scorching 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 have 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 mentioned she advised her different youngsters as she testified. “We would catch her within the restroom doing one thing dangerous. It was simpler for [my sons] to observe her that method.”

A police detective testified that textual content messages between Gonzales and considered one of her youngsters learn, “Clear the closet after which throw her again in.” Describing the kid’s situation, the detective additionally mentioned 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 residence” — earlier than saying, “I do not dispute that I used to be within the fallacious. I do know what I’ve completed was fallacious. I need to battle for my youngsters. I am able to do no matter I have to preserve my youngsters in my life.”

As authorities have 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 lady can be 9 now.

Based on ABC affiliate KVUE, police state that Virginia has given “conflicting info to many alternative members of the family” concerning Ava’s whereabouts, nor have authorities been capable of positively establish the lacking lady’s father.

In the course of the listening to this week, Gonzales reportedly mentioned 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 lady’s father … however she claimed he was deported to Mexico in 2018, earlier than Jimenez’s sister took Ava together with her to Mexico as effectively.

APD Lacking Individuals & Chilly Instances detective Amanda Lewis mentioned they have been dealing with the disappearance “as a murder investigation,” including they do not “have any proof that she is alive.” Gonzales, in courtroom, 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 fees. Her trial was set for January 2016.

In case you are experiencing or witness youngster 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. In the event you imagine a toddler is in rapid hazard, name 911.