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A Houston-area police department is asking the public for potential leads as it investigates the brutal murder of an 11-year-old girl last weekend.
Maria Gonzalez's father found her dead underneath a bed in their Pasadena apartment on Saturday afternoon, according to the Pasadena Police Department, which said the girl was strangled and beaten to death and also sexually assaulted.
"Obviously, this case is very important to us," Bruegger said Tuesday. "Anytime you have a death, especially a child, one that's been sexually assaulted, very brutal. Obviously, it's also taking a toll on our officers that were out there and made the scene.
Bruegger said the police department did not immediately publicize the case because it was awaiting the results of an autopsy, which was completed Monday. Gonzalez's death was ruled a homicide by the Harris County medical examiner's office, which determined she died from asphyxia caused by strangulation as well as blunt force trauma to the head and neck.
The girl's father, 32-year-old Carmelo Gonzalez, left home for work at about 9:45 a.m. Saturday, according to Bruegger, who said the elder Gonzalez received a text message from his daughter shortly after 10 a.m. saying someone was knocking on the door of their apartment.
"That was the last communication he had with his daughter," Bruegger said.
Carmelo Gonzalez sent subsequent messages to his daughter but did not get any replies, Bruegger said, so at about 1 p.m. he reached out to relatives who also live at the apartment complex and asked them to check on Maria. The girl's aunt and uncle went into the apartment but did not find her, according to Bruegger, who said Maria was discovered by her father when he returned home from work at about 3 p.m.
There were no signs of forced entry at the apartment, where the front door was unlocked but closed when Maria's aunt and uncle went to try to check on her, Bruegger said.
The family is originally from Guatemala, according to Bruegger, who said many other residents of the apartment complex – located at 1004 Main St. in Pasadena – also are from Guatemala. Carmelo Gonzalez and his daughter had lived in apartment No. 24 for the last three months after previously living in Austin as well as Florida, Bruegger said, adding that Maria's mother lives in Guatemala.
www.houstonpublicmedia.org
Maria Gonzalez's father found her dead underneath a bed in their Pasadena apartment on Saturday afternoon, according to the Pasadena Police Department, which said the girl was strangled and beaten to death and also sexually assaulted.
"Obviously, this case is very important to us," Bruegger said Tuesday. "Anytime you have a death, especially a child, one that's been sexually assaulted, very brutal. Obviously, it's also taking a toll on our officers that were out there and made the scene.
Bruegger said the police department did not immediately publicize the case because it was awaiting the results of an autopsy, which was completed Monday. Gonzalez's death was ruled a homicide by the Harris County medical examiner's office, which determined she died from asphyxia caused by strangulation as well as blunt force trauma to the head and neck.
The girl's father, 32-year-old Carmelo Gonzalez, left home for work at about 9:45 a.m. Saturday, according to Bruegger, who said the elder Gonzalez received a text message from his daughter shortly after 10 a.m. saying someone was knocking on the door of their apartment.
"That was the last communication he had with his daughter," Bruegger said.
Carmelo Gonzalez sent subsequent messages to his daughter but did not get any replies, Bruegger said, so at about 1 p.m. he reached out to relatives who also live at the apartment complex and asked them to check on Maria. The girl's aunt and uncle went into the apartment but did not find her, according to Bruegger, who said Maria was discovered by her father when he returned home from work at about 3 p.m.
There were no signs of forced entry at the apartment, where the front door was unlocked but closed when Maria's aunt and uncle went to try to check on her, Bruegger said.
The family is originally from Guatemala, according to Bruegger, who said many other residents of the apartment complex – located at 1004 Main St. in Pasadena – also are from Guatemala. Carmelo Gonzalez and his daughter had lived in apartment No. 24 for the last three months after previously living in Austin as well as Florida, Bruegger said, adding that Maria's mother lives in Guatemala.
Pasadena police looking for leads after 11-year-old girl found murdered inside her apartment | Houston Public Media
Maria Gonzalez was strangled and beaten to death and also sexually assaulted on Saturday, according to the Pasadena Police Department, which said she was found by her father when he returned home from work.
www.houstonpublicmedia.org
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