Montgomery County Sheriff's Office
The child was allegedly forced to strip nude, restrained, starved, and choked with a belt and told to "just die already," among other degrading and brutal abuses -- with the sisters telling investigators she was "psychotic" and injured herself.
Two sisters are behind bars in Texas after allegedly abusing a 12-year-old girl since March.
Montgomery County Sheriff's Office deputies and detectives responded to a call on September 28, 2025 involving a child who claimed she was enduring ongoing physical and sexual abuse, and that she was being held captive and starved by the sisters.
According to court documents obtained by ABC 13 and 11 Alive, the victim's biological mother lives in another country and the child was staying with an uncle in Houston who she claimed was sexually assaulting her, per ABC 13.
The girl purportedly reached out in March for help from Brenda Garcia, 38, who's daughter knows the uncle. It was at this point that Brenda and her sister Tania Garcia, 37, invited the girl to live with them, per court documents, with Brenda picking her up from school one day and bringing her back to her home in Conroe. It was shortly after this that the alleged abuse began.
The girl purportedly escaped her restraints and managed to make her way out of Garcia's home six months later, on September 30, per legal filings. She was subsequently found with injuries all over her body, including a large infected gash on her head, according to ABC 13.
Law enforcements noted the child was taken to a local hospital where medical staff confirmed the injuries on the 12-year-old were consistent with abuse and malnutrition. The release states that she is now "safe and receiving medical care and support services."
Brenda and Tania were arrested Friday and are facing charges include felony Injury to a Child, Unlawful Restraint, and Invasive Visual Recording. Detectives revealed in a press release that the acts allegedly unfolded at the home owned by Brenda, where Tania also lived.
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View StoryCourt documents detail months of alleged abuses with the girl claiming that Brenda choked her until she couldn't breathe and wrapped a belt around her neck, telling the victim to "just die already." Investigators also alleged that she was often restrained, while the sisters are accused of taking nude photos of the child.
Investigators alleged the girl was hit with cords, sticks, and a belt with a spike, as well as allegedly getting tied up, cut with scissors, and choked. 11 Alive adds that the victim was forced to strip nude, crawl on the floor and bark like a dog, per court documents, and photographed naked and degraded.
The affidavit further alleged that the victim was bound to a chair and table with zip-ties and degraded if she urinated on herself, forced to eat things off the floor like dirt and hair, and had her food intake limited to ramen noodles and water twice a day.
Police said that Child Protective Services was involved in the case prior to the girl's alleged escape, but when they were looking for her, Brenda reportedly told them she had returned to Honduras to be with her mother.
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View StoryAfter the girl's alleged escape, Brenda told detectives in an interview that the victim is making up stories of abuse, denying any wrongdoing. The sisters reportedly claimed she was "psychotic," per 11 Alive, and that she had injured herself.
However, court documents reveal that detectives uncovered security cameras inside the house, and the footage captured matches the victim's account. They also reported finding text messages, per the news station, where Brenda allegedly admitted hitting the girl.
"The safety and well-being of children will always be my highest priority. This case is deeply disturbing, but it also highlights the importance of community awareness and the courage it takes to speak up. Together, we can protect the most vulnerable among us and ensure that justice is served," Sheriff Doolittle stated.
Both sisters remain behind bars, with Brenda being held on bonds totaling $280,000 and Tania held on bonds totaling $200,000.
If you are experiencing or witness child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911.