Additional Coverage:
- Police searching for girl after mom arrested for allegedly locking sibling in closet (abcnews.go.com)
Austin Police Seek Missing Child After Disturbing Discovery
Austin, TX – A missing child investigation has been launched following the harrowing discovery of a malnourished 7-year-old girl locked in a closet. The girl’s mother, 33-year-old Virginia Marie Gonzales, now faces charges of injury to a child.
Police were alerted to the situation on April 3rd when the girl’s grandmother found her barricaded in a closet, severely malnourished and neglected. This discovery came after Gonzales’ arrest on a marijuana possession charge.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Gonzales allegedly confined her daughter to the closet for a month, providing only meager amounts of food and water. The child, weighing a mere 29 pounds, was immediately hospitalized and is currently recovering.
During the investigation, authorities learned of another child, 9-year-old Ava Marie Gonzales, who hasn’t been seen since December 2017. At the time of her disappearance, Ava was two years old and in the custody of her mother.
Six other children, aged 2 to 14, were found in the home and appeared physically healthy. None of the children appear to have been enrolled in school.
Expressing serious concern for Ava’s well-being, Detective Russell Constable stated that Gonzales has provided conflicting information about Ava’s whereabouts to family members. The police have not yet identified Ava’s father.
While Gonzales has offered some information to investigators, her statements are currently being corroborated. Police have released an age-progressed photo of Ava, who has brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information regarding Ava’s whereabouts is urged to contact authorities via email at [email protected] or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.