Horrific Scene as Texas Police Find Autistic Teen Dead in Bedroom

Balch Springs police discovered a 19-year-old severely autistic girl dead in horrific living conditions.

Crystal Canales called 911 to report her daughter, Delilah Villegas, was having trouble breathing. When officers arrived, they were immediately hit with a rancid odor coming from the daughter's bedroom.

Inside the girl's bedroom, they found Delilah, curled in a near-fetal position on a concrete floor, dead. According to police, she had likely been dead for up to 24 hours.

Severe Neglect and Malnutrition

Delilah's body revealed heartbreaking signs of abuse including:

• extreme malnutrition
• multiple open wounds
• exposed bones on her: right thigh, shoulder, hip, buttocks, hand, and ankle

Officer Pedro Gonzalez said officers thought the young girl was 13 because of how tiny she was and described her frame as "skin to bone" and she looked "mummified." A body outline on the floor suggested she had been in the same position for an extended period.

Family’s Troubling History

Family members told police that Delilah was non-verbal, wore diapers, and had a history of violent fits. Despite her daughter's injuries, Canales admitted she never reached out for medical care.

“Crystal insisted that Delilah had been breathing before first responders arrived and claimed she had eaten a handful of Goldfish crackers earlier that day,” the press release reads. 

Arrest and Investigation

Canales was arrested on Friday and booked into the Balch Springs Jail, where she awaits transfer to the Dallas County Jail.

Police also revealed that Delilah's grandmother and great-uncle also lived in the home but have not confirmed if they will face charges as well.

This case remains under investigation as investigators piece together the heartbreaking crime scene.