Texas Mother Sentenced After Locking 7-Year-Old in Closet, Starving Her to “One Corn Dog a Day”
AUSTIN, TEXAS — A Texas mother who locked her 7-year-old daughter inside a dark closet for weeks, feeding her just one corn dog a day and half a cup of water, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, bringing a grim child abuse case to a close.
Guilty Plea Ends Case Before Trial
Virginia Gonzales, 33, of Del Valle, pleaded guilty this week to felony injury to a child and accepted a 25-year prison sentence. In exchange for the plea, Gonzales waived her right to appeal.
The Travis County District Attorney’s Office said the agreement was intended to spare the child from further trauma.
“No child should ever have to go through what the victim did,” the office said in a statement to KXAN, adding that the plea marks a first step toward the child’s recovery.
Child Found Severely Malnourished and Soiled
Gonzales was originally scheduled to go to trial next week. She was charged after her daughter was found severely malnourished, soiled, and weighing just 29 pounds, following weeks of confinement inside a closet at the family’s Austin-area home.
The child was discovered by her grandmother, who alerted authorities after finding the girl in horrific condition. Police said the closet measured roughly 3 feet by 1 foot, 10 inches, leaving the child barely enough room to move.
Punishment for “Getting Into Stuff,” Police Say
Investigators said Gonzales ordered the girl’s six siblings, ranging in age from 2 to 14, to keep her locked inside the closet as punishment. The children reportedly told their grandmother that the girl was punished for “getting into stuff”, eating food she was “not supposed to,” and having bladder issues.
According to the arrest affidavit, the victim’s 10-year-old brother told investigators she was allowed only one corn dog and half a cup of water per day, and that she was forced to urinate and defecate inside the closet.
Detective Describes Starvation in Court
An investigator with the Austin Police Department Child Abuse Unit described the girl’s condition during court proceedings.
“The fat in her cheeks was nonexistent,” Detective Ryan Constable testified. “Her body had used those stores to sustain itself.”
Authorities said the child’s injuries and malnutrition were consistent with prolonged starvation and confinement.
Mother Blamed Children, Claimed No Physical Harm
During a July 2025 court hearing, Gonzales claimed she wanted to “fight” for custody of her children and insisted she had not physically harmed them.
“I never spanked them,” she told the court, according to KXAN. “I did nothing to harm them physically.”
Gonzales acknowledged that what happened was wrong, but appeared to shift blame to her other children.
“I instructed them not to let her out of the room, but not the closet,” she said. “It was easier for [my sons] to watch her that way.”
Missing Child Case Still Under Investigation
Police say Gonzales has another child who has been missing since 2017. All of her children have been placed in protective custody as authorities continue to search for Ava Marie Gonzales, who disappeared when she was 9 years old.
The Travis County District Attorney’s Office said it will continue working with APD to pursue answers in the missing child case.
Sentence Brings Accountability, Not Closure
Prosecutors said Gonzales’ original plea offer could have resulted in 40 years in prison, but the final agreement ensures a lengthy sentence without forcing the victim to endure a trial.
As the case concludes, authorities stress that vigilance and reporting are critical to preventing child abuse cases from going undetected for years.
If you have thoughts on this case or concerns about child safety in your community, share your perspective and stay informed with continued coverage at CabarrusWeekly.com.
