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3d ago

Texas Mother Arrested as Police Search for Daughter Missing Since 2017

Virginia Gonzales faces charges after her malnourished 7-year-old was found locked in a closet, prompting an investigation into the disappearance of her other daughter, Ava Marie Gonzales, last seen in 2017 at age 2.

Ava Marie Gonzales at age 2, in December 2017.
Cheryle “Lovey” Gollinger and her great-grandson Dusty Ray “Lil Buddy” Gollinger, 2, of San Antonio lay a wreath Friday outside the Bexar County Courthouse on April 1, 2022, to mark the beginning of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
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Ava Marie Gonzales at age 2, and how investigators believe she might look at 9 years old.

Overview

  • Virginia Gonzales, 33, was arrested on April 24 after her 7-year-old daughter was found locked in a closet, severely malnourished, and weighing just 29 pounds.
  • The discovery of the 7-year-old led police to uncover that another daughter, Ava Marie Gonzales, has been missing since December 2017 and was never reported.
  • Austin police have released an age-progressed photo of Ava, now 9 years old, and are appealing to the public for information on her whereabouts.
  • The malnourished child and six other siblings, aged 2 to 14, have been placed in protective custody, while the 7-year-old continues to recover at Dell Children’s Medical Center.
  • Gonzales remains in custody at the Travis County Correctional Complex on $75,000 bond, with a court hearing scheduled next week.