Austin Police Seek Missing Hispanic Girl Last Seen in 2017 After Mother's Arrest for Child Abuse

The Austin authorities have launched an urgent search for Ava Marie Gonzales, a nine-year-old Hispanic girl who has been missing since December 2017. At that time, she was just two years old and under the care of her mother, Virginia Gonzales. Ava's disappearance came to light following the arrest of her mother on April 3rd for marijuana possession and subsequently being charged with causing severe injuries to a minor. It was discovered that she kept one of her seven-year-old daughters locked in a closet under inhumane conditions.

Shocking Discovery

On April 3rd, Marina Rosales, the paternal grandmother of three of Gonzales' eight children, visited an apartment on Ross Road where she found her seven-year-old granddaughter malnourished, filthy, and sitting in a closet surrounded by feces. The closet was secured with a cable and blocked by heavy objects. Rosales immediately contacted 911. According to Univision, the girl had been confined for a month.

The Austin Police and emergency services transported the child to Dell Children's Medical Center, where doctors confirmed she weighed only 29 pounds (approximately 13 kg) and suffered from severe brain atrophy due to malnutrition—a critical condition posing the risk of potentially deadly refeeding syndrome. In the apartment, six other children, aged between 2 and 14, all siblings of the girl found in the closet, were present. One of them reported that their mother fed the girl only one hotdog per day and half a glass of water, punishing her for not alerting when she needed to use the bathroom.

Ava: Missing for Seven Years Without a Report

During the investigation, authorities discovered an eighth child: Ava Marie Gonzales. According to the police, there are no recent medical, school, or legal records of the child, and she was never reported missing. The Austin Police Department issued an official alert asking for public assistance and expressed concern for Ava's safety, given the circumstances in which her younger sister was found.

Virginia Gonzales, 33, has given conflicting accounts regarding Ava's whereabouts to both her family and the police. Nevertheless, investigators remain hopeful that Ava is alive. The mother is currently held at the Travis County Correctional Complex under a $75,000 bond. She faces charges of severe injury to a minor, with the possibility of further charges as the investigation progresses.

Public Appeal

The Austin Police Department (APD) has released a photograph of Ava taken when she was two, alongside an age-progressed image. Ava is described as Hispanic, with straight hair and brown eyes, although her current height and weight are unknown. The APD urges the public to help locate her. Anyone with information can confidentially contact Crime Stoppers at 512-572-8477 or email ava@austintexas.gov.

Detective Russell Constable conveyed during a press conference that authorities are gravely concerned for Ava's welfare, given the alarming conditions discovered with her younger sister.