Texas Mother Arrested, Non-Verbal Daughter Found Deceased Inside Home

A woman in Texas was recently arrested for neglecting her 19-year-old autistic daughter to the point of death. She called the police about her daughter’s condition, but the girl was long dead before the mother made the emergency call.

The Arrest of Crystal Canales

Balch Springs police officers responded to a 911 call on Valentine’s Day from a woman, 41-year-old Crystal Canales, claiming her daughter was having trouble breathing and required CPR.

When officers arrived to her home, they discovered the woman’s daughter, 19-year-old Delilah, was already deceased. In fact, first responders claimed she must have died anywhere from six to 24 hours prior to her mother calling police. 

Delilah was observed to have been severely malnourished to the point where she looked much younger than she was. The 19-year-old was mistakenly thought to be around 13 years old due to the state her body was in. 

Officers also found cuts and bruises along her body, and when they entered the home, they noticed a strong odor coming from the girl’s bedroom. It was here where they discovered Delilah’s body sat, in the fetal position, on the concrete floor for an extended period of time. Long enough to leave an outline on the floor that emitted a pungent smell.

Delilah’s Family Had a Feeling

According to FOX4, family members told law enforcement that Delilah was severely autistic to the point of being non-verbal. She also wore a diaper and did not have any known major health conditions.

The mother insisted that her daughter had been alive and eating just before she made the 911 call. When asked about the visible bruises and bones that were showing on her daughter’s body, she stated she already knew about them and was treating them with Neosporin.

When it came to seeking medical attention, the mother claimed she refused because her daughter would become violent in these cases. 

The last time Delilah was ever given professional medical attention was in 2021. 

The mother, 41-year-old Crystal Canales, was placed into custody after detectives determined that a reasonable person would have sought medical help in this case, given the state of her daughter’s condition.

Canales was charged with serious bodily injury to a disabled person under her care: a second degree felony in Texas. 

Police are still investigating who else is at fault, as the girl’s grandmother and great uncle also lived at the home where her body was found.