A woman from California and her boyfriend are facing serious charges, including 27 counts of torture and child abuse, for their alleged maltreatment of the woman’s 11-year-old niece. The disturbing accusations involve acts of strangulation, dragging the girl using a dog leash, and forcing her to sleep in a garage without proper insulation.
The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office received a report from an individual who claimed the child was refusing to return home due to physical abuse inflicted by her aunt. The child’s statements during an interview revealed a history of abuse over a prolonged period.
Authorities executed a search warrant at the residence, uncovering surveillance footage that supported the victim’s claims. Evidence collected suggested the young girl primarily resided in the garage and backyard areas.
The sheriff’s office described the garage as not being a suitable living space, as it lacked essential features such as heating, air conditioning, and insulation, exposing the child to extreme temperatures throughout the year.
Priscilla Mestaz, 37, and Anthony Machuca, 36, informed detectives that they had been caring for the girl since 2024.
The investigation began on January 31, leading to Machuca’s arrest when authorities first approached the couple’s home. Mestaz’s arrest was postponed due to her advanced pregnancy, but she was taken into custody on March 12 following the birth of her child.
The newborn and a 4-year-old child were taken into protective custody by Stanislaus County Child Protective Services.The sheriff’s office did not reveal the status of the 11-year-old girl.
The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint against the pair on Monday, charging them with 27 felony and misdemeanor counts. The most serious charges include torture, conspiracy to commit torture, child endangerment, injury to a child, assault with a deadly weapon, and criminal threats.
“Among the acts referenced are repeated physical abuse including strangulation, punching, and slapping; forcing the child to sleep in an uninsulated, unfinished garage without bedding or heat during winter months; withholding adequate nutrition causing the child to become malnourished; forcing the child to perform strenuous physical exercise to the point of exhaustion under threat of assault; restraining and dragging the child with a dog leash; and subjecting the child to sustained verbal abuse and threats of injury,” the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators say more charges are possible as they sift through evidence.
Mestaz and Machuca are being held on $1 million bonds.
