A shocking discovery unfolded in Del Valle when Austin police responded to a distressing 911 call. A 7-year-old girl was found emaciated and confined within a closet at a residence, raising grave concerns among authorities.

Inside the home, officers also encountered six other children, who appeared to be in good physical health. Reports indicate the young girl was discovered in a dire state, soiled and trapped in a closet with heavy boxes obstructing the door.

According to an arrest affidavit, Virginia Marie Gonzales is accused of imprisoning the girl in the closet for extended periods, allegedly “weeks at a time.”

The affidavit reveals that the child’s grandmother informed police about the girl’s struggles with bladder control and her tendency to consume inappropriate items, which purportedly led to instructions for her siblings to confine her.

Currently, the 7-year-old is receiving medical care and is on the path to recovery. During the investigation, detectives uncovered troubling information about another child, Ava, who has been missing for several years. Virginia Marie Gonzales, Ava’s mother, now faces charges of causing serious injury to a child in relation to the 7-year-old’s harrowing situation.

The 7-year-old was hospitalized and is now recovering. During the investigation, detectives learn about another child, Ava, who has been missing for years. Virginia Marie Gonzales, Ava‘s mother, was arrested on a charge of serious injury to a child in connection with the 7-year-old’s case.

According to police, the missing now 9-year-old child was last seen when she was just 2 years old and in the custody of her mother, Virginia Marie Gonzales.

Now, Gonzales has rejected a plea offer related to her arrest. The State offered Gonzales a 40-year prison sentence in exchange for her guilty plea. She and her attorney, Gabe Hernandez, rejected the offer, calling it  “utterly absurd.” Gonzales is still in custody.

Trial is set to begin January 26, 2026.

Joining Nancy Grace today:

Additional Guests

• LeAnne Marie – Friend of Mom, Virginia Gonzales
• Daryl Parker – Private Investigator at Blackfish; Former Lieutenant in the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, Private Investigator at Blackfish Intelligence Former Marine, Former Texas Police Officer  worked with the Innocence Project of Texas for the last ten years); Instagram: @blackfishintel, FB – blackfishintelligence
• Virginia Bagby – Director of the ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline; Facebook and Instagram: @ChildHelp

“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.

[Feature Photo: Ava Gonzales, Handout/Virginia Gonzales, Austin PD]