Austin police respond to a home in Del Valle after receiving a 911 call about a 7-year-old girl who discovered starved and locked inside a bedroom closet.

Six other children are also found in the home, but police say it appears they are physically healthy. According to reports, the child was soiled and barricaded in a closet with heavy boxes blocking the door.

An arrest affidavit reveals Virginia Marie Gonzales is accused of locking the 7-year-old girl in a closet for “weeks at a time.” The affidavit further states the girl’s grandmother told police that the child had trouble controlling her bladder and often ate things she shouldn’t.

This allegedly led to her siblings being instructed to keep her locked in the closet.

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:
LeAnne Marie - Friend of Mom, Virginia Gonzales
Bronwyn Blake - Adjunct Professor, University of Texas School of Law; Chief Legal Officer, Texas Advocacy Project; Founder: Teen Justice Initiative (advocating for teen victims of dating violence); Facebook and Instagram: @TexasAdvocacyProject
Dr. Angela Arnold - Psychiatrist in Atlanta: Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University, Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital
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
Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Host of Podcast, "Mayhem in the Morgue," and Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)
Christina Aguayo - National News Anchor, Salem News Channel; Facebook: @ChristinaAguayoNews, Instagram: @Christina.AguayoNew

Austin police respond to a home in Del Valle after receiving a 911 call about a 7-year-old girl who discovered starved and locked inside a bedroom closet.
Six other children are also found in the home, but police say it appears they are physically healthy. According to reports, the child was soiled and barricaded in a closet with heavy boxes blocking the door.
An arrest affidavit reveals Virginia Marie Gonzales is accused of locking the 7-year-old girl in a closet for &ldquo;weeks at a time.&rdquo; The affidavit further states the girl&rsquo;s grandmother told police that the child had trouble controlling her bladder and often ate things she shouldn&rsquo;t.
This allegedly led to her siblings being instructed to keep her locked in the closet.
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&lsquo;s mother, was arrested on a charge of serious injury to a child in connection with the 7-year-old&rsquo;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 &nbsp;&ldquo;utterly absurd.&rdquo; Gonzales is still in custody.
Trial is set to begin January 26, 2026.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
<ul>
<li>LeAnne Marie - Friend of Mom, Virginia Gonzales</li>
<li><a href="http://texasadvocacyproject.org">Bronwyn Blake</a> - Adjunct Professor, University of Texas School of Law; Chief Legal Officer, Texas Advocacy Project; Founder: Teen Justice Initiative (advocating for teen victims of dating violence); Facebook and Instagram: @TexasAdvocacyProject</li>
<li><a href="https://www.angelaarnoldmd.com/">Dr. Angela&nbsp;Arnold</a> - Psychiatrist in Atlanta: Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University, Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital</li>
<li><a href="http://wwww.blackfishintel.com">Daryl Parker</a> - Private Investigator at Blackfish; Former Lieutenant in the Fannin County Sheriff's Office, Private Investigator at Blackfish Intelligence Former Marine, Former Texas Police Officer&nbsp; worked with the Innocence Project of Texas for the last ten years); Instagram: @blackfishintel, FB &ndash; blackfishintelligence</li>
<li><a href="http://ChildHelp.org">Virginia Bagby</a> - Director of the ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline; Facebook and Instagram: @ChildHelp</li>
<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayhem-in-the-morgue-with-dr-kendall-crowns/id1832515666">Dr. Kendall Crowns</a> - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Host of Podcast, "Mayhem in the Morgue," and Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ChristinaAguayoNews.Com">Christina Aguayo</a> - National News Anchor, Salem News Channel; Facebook: @ChristinaAguayoNews, Instagram: @Christina.AguayoNew</li>
</ul>

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

Theme Music: Audio Network

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

Theme Music: Audio Network

MOM OF LITTLE GIRL FOUND LOCKED IN CLOSET STARVED, 1 CORN-DOG A DAY, REJECTS PLEA DEAL

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/64ef09f8-ad1e-4086-853e-b3ba00fa80b2/transcript

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