A Texas woman has been arrested on charges related to the death of her 19-year-old daughter, who had autism and was found dead in the home on Valentine’s Day.
Balch Springs Police said Crystal Canales called 911 on Friday, saying that her daughter, Delilah Villegas, was having. trouble breathing, KDFW reported. First responders found Villegas already dead and estimated she’d been dead for six to 24 hours prior to the 911 call.
The first responders noted a foul odor from Villegas’s bedroom and saw an outline of her body on the concrete floor where she was found in a fetal position. They also said she was severely malnourished and had multiple bruises, contusions, and bedsores. She also had exposed bones on her thigh, shoulder, hip, buttocks, hand, and ankle.
Police said Villegas last went to hospital in 2021, and the last medical call to the house came in May of that year. Canales said she hadn’t taken her daughter to a doctor because she became violent when she tried.
She also told detectives that she was breathing before first responders arrived and had eat some goldfish crackers.
Family members told detectives that Villegas was severely autistic and non-verbal but had no other health conditions.
Canales, 41, has been charged with serious bodily injury to a disabled person in their care. She was booked into the Balch Springs jail and will be transferred to Dallas County.
