Del Valle mother charged after abusing, locking daughter in closet
Share and Follow


The 7-year-old girl weighed just 29 pounds and was severely malnourished.

AUSTIN, Texas — Warning: This article contains details that readers may find disturbing.

Austin police say a mother in Del Valle faces first-degree felony charges after she was accused of keeping her 7-year-old daughter imprisoned in a closet for multiple weeks.

Virginia Gonzales, 33, was arrested after the child’s grandmother found the girl barricaded in a bedroom closet on April 3.

Court documents allege the child was soiled, weighed just 29 pounds and was severely malnourished.

Police said the tiny closet she was in measured less than 5 feet by 2 feet and had no light or ventilation. Due to the other items found inside the closet, the girl had approximately 3 feet by 1 foot, 10 inches of actual space.

The girl’s siblings allegedly told their grandmother that Gonzales had ordered them to lock the girl in the closet because she had issues controlling her bladder and was “always getting into stuff,” eating things she was “not supposed to.”

Her 10-year-old brother told police the girl was only allowed to eat one corndog for the day and given half a cup of water. The brother was ordered to clean the closet because the girl would urinate and defecate inside, police said.

Medical professionals report the young victim suffered permanent brain damage from prolonged starvation. She was taken to a local hospital to prevent refeeding syndrome, which is a metabolic disturbance that occurs when a starved or severely malnourished person is abruptly refed, leading to electrolyte imbalances and fluid shifts.

The girl and her six siblings – who are between the ages of 2 and 14 years old – are now in protective custody while Gonzales remains in jail.

Following the news of the arrest on Monday, the Austin Police Department said Gonzales is the mother of a missing 9-year-old girl, Ava, who hasn’t been seen since December 2017. 

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Trump and Netanyahu may take a victory lap on Iran, but the Gaza war looms over their meeting

Trump and Netanyahu might celebrate their success regarding Iran, but the shadow of the Gaza conflict hangs over their encounter.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump might look…
Jimmy Hoffa mystery potentially solved fifty years later: Detroit reporter

Detroit reporter may have cracked the Jimmy Hoffa case after five decades of mystery

Teamsters Union president Jimmy Hoffa is seen in Washington on July 26,…
Obama-Biden T-shirt caused CBP detainment at airport: LA man

LA man detained by CBP at airport over Obama-Biden T-shirt

A 71-year-old Los Angeles native, a longtime political consultant, wonders if an…
Australian woman convicted on all counts in mushroom murders case

Australian Woman Found Guilty in Mushroom Murders Trial

SYDNEY — An Australian woman on Monday was convicted of murdering three…
Pediatric doctor reveals risky mistake he'd never let his kids make

“Mistake Pediatric Doctor Says He’d Never Allow His Children to Make”

Soak up the fun! There are many ways kids can have a…
Netanyahu and Trump discuss new ceasefire proposal for Gaza

Netanyahu and Trump talk about a new plan to stop fighting in Gaza

Negotiations have repeatedly stalled over how the war should end and when…
Historic LA restaurant to shutter after 117 years

Iconic Los Angeles eatery closing doors after over a century

Cole’s French Dip, one of the original purveyors of the French dip…
Trump urged to look into US funding of Lebanese army amid accusations of its ties to Hezbollah

US champions Lebanon’s response to Hezbollah disarmament, hints at Abraham Accords opportunity

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The U.S. envoy to…