Pasadena’s Police Department was summoned to an apartment complex where Maria Gonzalez, an 11-year-old, was discovered strangled in a bag beneath a bed.
The call for assistance came from her father, Carmelo Gonzalez, who found Maria in a non-responsive state when he returned from work. She was declared dead by the arriving medical team.
Earlier in the day, Maria, left alone in the apartment, had messaged her father about an unfamiliar knock at their door shortly after he left for work. He advised caution, urging her not to respond. He contacted his relatives, who live in the same apartment complex, but they couldn’t locate his daughter during an initial search.
On Tuesday, Chief Josh Bruegger shared details from the medical examiner’s report, which concluded Maria’s death was caused by asphyxiation, citing signs of both strangulation and critical injuries to her neck and head. The case also presented indications of sexual assault.
Despite no evident signs of external apartment breach, no suspects have been identified. Current investigations corroborate the father’s statement and alibi, keeping him outside the suspect list.
The pair had been living in the apartment for three months. Maria’s mother is in Guatemala.
To expedite the ongoing investigation, DNA samples from individuals within the complex are being gathered.