North Texas mom arrested in connection with death of teen daughter with autism, police say
A North Texas mother has been arrested after her 19-year-old daughter was found dead and severely malnourished in the family’s Balch Springs home on Valentine’s Day, police said.
Crystal Canales called 911 around 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 to report her daughter was having trouble breathing. First responders arrived at the residence, intending to perform CPR, Balch Springs Police Department spokesperson Pedro Gonzalez said at a Feb. 22 news conference.
“Unfortunately, because of the position and the condition that the victim was (in), they did not start on the CPR and called the Balch Springs Police Department,” Gonzalez said.
According to a police department news release, first responders were directed to the teen’s bedroom. They noticed “a strong foul odor” and found Delilah Villegas lying in a near-fetal position on the floor. Medical personnel determined she had died six to 24 hours before the first responders arrived.
Villegas appeared to be severely malnourished, police said in the release. There were multiple wounds on the right side of her body, along with protruding bones and bedsores. A body outline on the concrete floor indicated the teen had lain in the same position for a long time.
“We actually made it into a crime scene,” Gonzalez said.
Family members told police that Villegas had severe autism and was non-verbal, but didn’t have any major health problems, according to the release.
Investigators spoke with Canales, who insisted her daughter had eaten some Goldfish crackers earlier in the day and was breathing before first responders arrived, the release states.
Gonzalez said investigators found food in the house and no indication that the family was starving.
Canales said she’d been treating Villegas’ bedsores with Neosporin ointment and didn’t seek medical care because the teen would become violent, according to the release.
The investigators concluded that Canales’ failure to get medical treatment for her daughter’s “severe wounds” likely constitutes “reckless conduct, leading to serious bodily injury to a disabled person under her care,” the release states.
The 41-year-old Canales was arrested Friday, Feb. 21. She was booked into the Balch Springs Jail to await transfer to the Dallas County Jail, according to the release.
The investigation into Villegas’ death is ongoing, police said.
Officers responded to the home in May 2021 for a welfare check, according to Gonzalez.
“Everyone was fine, everyone was healthy,” Gonzalez said. “And there was no signs or issues at that time.”
Detectives have interviewed some of the teen’s former teachers, who said Canales was very involved in her daughter’s life. Others who knew the family also didn’t see anything that raised red flags, according to Gonzalez.
Villegas’ grandmother and great uncle also lived in the home. Family members told police Villegas could be very aggressive toward them, and Canales tended to discourage them from interacting with the teen, Gonzalez said.
Police have not announced charges against anyone else in connection with Villegas’ death.
Gonzalez told reporters that another welfare check could have saved the teen’s life.
“If someone would have noticed, or would have been ... concerned about the child, they could have easily called 911,” Gonzalez said. “We would have responded and personally checked on the victim, and maybe we wouldn’t be here if that would have happened.”
This story was originally published February 22, 2025 at 8:16 PM.
