A half-naked lady was allegedly tortured and chained up within the yard of a Texas residence for months — resulting in the arrest of 5 individuals who allegedly starved and shot on the defenseless sufferer with BB weapons.
The Austin Police Division responded to a house on the south aspect of the town at round 9 a.m. on Oct. 30 after a 911 name was made relating to a lady screaming for assist and handcuffed to metallic train gear within the yard, in line with a press launch.
Officers arrived to seek out the unnamed lady affected by extreme accidents, bare from the waist down, and shackled to a punching bag stand.
The primary responders rapidly sprang into motion and tried to free the girl, however “because of the situations of the restraints,” they needed to name within the Austin Fireplace Division to deliver particular gear to chop by way of the metallic.
“The girl confirmed indicators of bodily misery and had seen accidents in line with extended restraint,” police mentioned.
As they labored to free the girl, 5 adults inside the house observed what was taking place and tried to flee, however had been instantly caught and detained.
Police additionally discovered two young children residing on the residence who had been positioned within the care of Baby Protecting Providers for security and help.
The suspects — Michelle Garcia, 51, Crystal Garcia, 21, Mache Carney, 32, Juan Pablo Castro, 30, and Maynard Lefevers, 21 — had allegedly held the sufferer captive for months, police mentioned.
The sufferer instructed investigators that she’d been associates with Michelle Garcia, however acknowledged that the group “sooner or later, they determined they now not appreciated her,” and the 5 determined to maintain her as a captive, in line with an affidavit obtained by the Austin American-Statesman.
She mentioned she was compelled to reside outdoors for weeks and overwhelmed each time she tried to flee. It’s unclear when the sufferer was taken captive and precisely what number of months she was held.
Detectives mentioned the girl was fed only one plate of meals a day and shackled to a metallic train stand — typically with each wrists locked behind her.
Michelle Garcia allegedly instructed investigators she restricted the girl to 1 meal a day as a result of she thought the sufferer had gotten “chunky.”
Nonetheless, investigators mentioned the girl appeared severely malnourished.
The sufferer additionally mentioned that the night time earlier than being discovered, her pants slipped down and she or he “acquired in hassle.” She was then shot with a BB gun, cuffed to a yard stand and left there half-naked in a single day as “punishment” whereas temperatures plunged into the 40s, the affidavit revealed.
Throughout her captivity, she sustained intensive accidents, together with open wounds, extreme swelling of the wrists, lack of tissue from her fingers and ft, widespread scarring from BB gun pellets, and important facial trauma.
After being transported to an area hospital, docs decided her accidents matched weeks of torture and restraint. Scans additionally discovered a BB was lodged in her proper eye.
Castro allegedly instructed police he shot the girl with an electrical rifle-style BB gun as a result of he “didn’t need to contact her.”
He additionally allegedly admitted that when he would get residence from work, he would seize the BB gun from his closet, and “chase her across the yard,” expressing that he “f–king hates her,” in line with the affidavit.
One of many kids discovered on the residence — a four-year-old boy recognized as Castro’s son — mentioned his dad shot the girl each time she was “dangerous,” and that his mother, Carney, normally stood by and watched.
All 5 suspects had been arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, harm to the aged or disabled, and illegal restraint. They’re all at present locked up on the Travis County Jail on $305,000 bail.
Carney and Michelle Garcia return to court docket on Nov. 18 and 21, whereas Crystal Garcia, Castro, and Lefevers are set to look on Dec. 15.
The case stays below investigation.
