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

Virginia Gonzales is dealing with fees together with damage to a baby inflicting critical damage 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 baby, 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 referred to 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 consider her residing house was roughly 3 toes by 1 foot, 10 inches. There was no mild or air flow. NBC Information studies it was barricaded by 75-pound packing containers in entrance of it.

In accordance 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 harm as a result of extended malnutrition and hunger. “She’s going to by no means recuperate,” the affidavit states.

The six different kids in the home, ranging in age from 2 to 14, informed their grandmother, per court docket 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 entering into stuff,” and consuming issues she was “not speculated to.”

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

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

Throughout 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 informed her different kids as she testified. “We would catch her within the restroom doing one thing dangerous. It was simpler for [my sons] to observe her that manner.”

A police detective testified that textual content messages between Gonzales and considered one of her kids 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 enough meals for everybody within the dwelling” — earlier than saying, “I do not dispute that I used to be within the flawed. I do know what I’ve accomplished was flawed. I need to battle for my youngsters. I am able to do no matter I must preserve my kids 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 woman can be 9 now.

In accordance with ABC affiliate KVUE, police state that Virginia has given “conflicting info to many various relations” relating to Ava’s whereabouts, nor have authorities been capable of positively determine the lacking woman’s father.

Throughout the listening to this week, Gonzales reportedly mentioned a person named “Saul Jimenez” took Ava from her when she was residing out of her automobile. That man, she allegedly informed 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 properly.

APD Lacking Individuals & Chilly Circumstances 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 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 fees. Her trial was set for January 2016.

If you’re experiencing or witness baby 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 consider a baby is in rapid hazard, name 911.