Texas (KHN) – A lady in Texas is under arrest after her 19-year-old autistic daughter was discovered dead and “mummified” on the floor of her concrete bedroom, according to officials.
Crystal Canales, 41, is charged with one count of serious bodily damage to a disabled person, a second-degree felony, after police from the Balch Springs Police Department discovered her child dead and starved at their house on the outskirts of Dallas on February 14.
Delilah Villegas’ body was discovered curled up in a “near-fetal” position adjacent to a single mattress and pallets of bedding, according to Balch Springs officer Pedro Gonzalez.
Gonzalez described the body to the media as if it was mummified and lying on the floor. She was curled up on the floor, which was uncharacteristic of a 19-year-old.”
Detectives arrived at the residence on Horseshoe Trail in Balch Springs, which was occupied by Villegas’ great uncle, grandmother, and mother, after receiving a 911 call from Canales, who stated that her daughter was struggling to breathe and required CPR.
However, when officials arrived, they were shocked to realize that it was too late.
As they entered, officers detected a strong decomposing odor, which led them to the girls’ bedroom.
This is when they discovered Villegas’ body “skin to the bone” with massive exposed wounds, bedsores, and decaying limbs, as well as bones protruding through the skin on her shoulder, leg, and arm.
According to Gonzales, officers initially thought the girl was 13 years old due to her malnutrition.
Gonzalez stated that the girl was dead for at least four hours due to “rigor mortis,” but that the medical examiner’s office thought she could have died anywhere from 6 to 24 hours.
Interviews with family members revealed that Villegas was autistic and nonverbal. Gonzales revealed that she frequently erupted in violent outbursts, kicking, punching, and assaulting family members, and had previously been involved in an incident on a school bus.
According to officials, family members were often prohibited from associating with the girl due to her violent behavior.
According to the affidavit obtained by Live5News, the grandmother claimed to have not seen the 19-year-old in weeks and the great-uncle claimed to have not seen her in a year.
The last time police visited the home was for a welfare check in 2021, when they reported that “everyone had been fine.” Police stated the victim had an elder sibling.
The grandma and great-uncle are not currently being charged.
According to Gonzales, the mother was hailed as a kind and caring parent, and no conduct sparked suspicions of abuse in the home. He also stated that an earlier welfare check and greater surveillance could have prevented the tragedy from occurring.
Canales was initially detained in the Balch Springs Jail and is currently awaiting transfer to the Dallas County Jail.