Texas mother accused of locking 7-year-old in closet for weeks; bond raised to $250,000

A 33-year-old mother of eight, identified as V. Gonzales, is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say she kept her 7-year-old daughter confined in a closet for weeks, starving her and leaving her severely malnourished and permanently injured.

According to prosecutors, the child was forced to live in a space measuring just 3 feet by 1 foot, 10 inches, receiving only half a cup of water and little food daily. Gonzales allegedly instructed her other children, ages 2 to 14, to keep their sister locked away as punishment for “doing something bad,” including eating food she wasn’t supposed to.

When police discovered the girl, she weighed only 29 pounds and had been relieving herself inside the closet. A 10-year-old sibling told investigators about the abuse. Authorities were first alerted when the children’s grandmother visited the home in April and found the girl locked inside.

Detective R. Constable, from the department’s child abuse unit, testified that the girl’s condition was dire. Prosecutors also revealed that another of Gonzales’ children has been missing since 2017, when she was 9 years old, intensifying concerns about the family’s safety and history.

In court, Gonzales admitted wrongdoing but tried to shift blame, saying:

“I instructed them not to let her out of the room but not the closet. I never spanked them. I’m ready to do whatever I need to keep my children.”

Judge C. Eldridge called the case “absolutely horrifying” and sided with prosecutors in raising her bond from $75,000 to $250,000, citing a high flight risk. Supporting that claim, Gonzales’ own mother testified against her, saying:

“She didn’t show up for a weed charge, you think she’s going to show up for this? I know my daughter, she’ll run from this.”

Gonzales, who pleaded not guilty, remains in custody and is scheduled to stand trial in January 2026.

All surviving children have been placed under protective services as investigators continue to probe the disappearance of Gonzales’ missing child. Authorities are urging anyone with information about that case to come forward.

Officials have described the abuse as “unimaginable trauma” and say the case is a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and intervention in protecting vulnerable children.