Pasadena crime: 11-year-old Maria Gonzalez found strangled to death under bed
PASADENA, Texas - On Saturday, Aug. 12, around 3 p.m. Pasadena officers received a call from a man stating that his daughter was not breathing.
Officers quickly responded to 1004 Main Street in Pasadena where Acadian Medics were providing medical aid to 11-year-old Maria Gonzalez.
Gonzalez was later pronounced deceased and investigators were dispatched for further investigation. The young girl was sexually assaulted and killed inside of her Pasadena home while her father was at work.
The girl texted her father, Carmelo Gonzalez around 10 a.m. Saturday morning that someone was knocking on the door.
"I told her don’t open the door because I am arriving at work, and she responded I am in my bed," Gonzalez explained.
That was the last time he heard from her, he sent relatives to their apartment and they found the front door unlocked, but Maria was nowhere to be found.
When her father came home and began searching for her, he found his little girl's lifeless body, underneath his bed inside of a laundry basket.
"Unfortunately, they left her under the bed in a plastic bag, they left my poor daughter," Gonzalez said.
According to the Pasadena Medical Examiner, Maria had been raped and strangled.
This heinous crime has left neighbors sickened and afraid for their safety because the monster responsible is still on the loose.
"This little girl, she was such an angel and hopefully you get caught whoever did this to her, hopefully you do," said an angry resident.
Pasadena police say this community has a large population of undocumented migrants, so some people are hesitant to speak with them, but they say solving this case is their only concern.
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"I'm here to tell you immigration status on a case like this, that's neither here nor there; the important thing is solving this case and getting the community safe," said Officer John A. Bruegger with Pasadena Police Dept.
Police say the criminal who committed this crime will face capital murder charges when caught.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Detective M. Quintanilla at 713-475-7803 or Detective S. Mata at 713-475-7878.