The mother of a missing Texas girl was arrested last month after her other daughter was found severely malnourished in a closet.
Virginia Gonzales’ 7-year-old daughter was reportedly discovered barricaded in a bedroom closet on April 3. KVUE reported that the girl’s grandmother found her in the 5-foot by 2-foot closet, where she was left for multiple weeks.
Austin police said the closet had no light or ventilation. Items in the closet meant Gonzales’ daughter only had 3 feet by 1 foot, 10 inches of space to move. According to KTBC, Gonzales, 33, left her daughter in the closet for a month — and only fed her a corndog and half a cup of water a day.
The girl reportedly weighed 29 pounds when she was found. Medical staff determined she suffered permanent brain damage due to ongoing malnutrition and starvation, according to WVUE.
Gonzales children allegedly told their grandmother that she ordered them 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.
Investigators pointed out that a pantry, refrigerator, and freezer in Gonzales’ home was stocked with food, KEYE reported.
Gonzales is also the mother of Ava Marie Gonzales, who was two when she vanished in 2017. Ava Marie Gonzales, who is now nine, remains unaccounted for.
Virginia Gonzales, who was arrested on April 24, is charged with severe injury to a child. Her seven children — including her malnourished daughter — are in protective custody while she remains incarcerated.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
[Feature Photo: Austin police]