The grieving father of an 11-year-old girl, who tragically lost her life over the weekend, is mourning his daughter’s untimely death.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Pasadena Police Chief Josh Brugger clarified that Carmelo Gonzalez is not considered a suspect in the death of his daughter, Maria. Brugger mentioned that Gonzalez was attempting to reach Maria when he received her text message informing him about someone persistently knocking on the front door.
“I told her don’t open the door because I am arriving at work, and she responded I am in my bed,” Gonzalez said. However, that marked the final communication Gonzalez received from his daughter. Throughout the day, he made multiple attempts to contact her via phone during his work breaks. Eventually, he reached out to relatives residing in the same apartment complex in the Houston area.
Gonzalez’s sister-in-law went to Maria’s apartment to perform a wellness check. Upon entering, Chief Brugger says that the aunt noticed things were out of place, causing her to swiftly exit the apartment. She quickly went to grab her husband, Gonzalez’s brother, to accompany her in examining the unit. Unfortunately, despite their search, they were unable to locate Maria. In response, Gonzalez hurried back from his workplace upon receiving the news.
Gonzalez quickly located his daughter’s lifeless body beneath the bed. Nevertheless, authorities have not identified a suspect and are asking for the community’s assistance. Neighbors are encouraged to share any potentially important information if they notice anything unusual that morning.
