A woman was reportedly subjected to torture and chained for months in the backyard of a home in Texas, resulting in the arrest of five individuals accused of starving her and using a BB gun against her.
Austin police responded to a 911 call around 9 a.m. on October 30, alerted to a woman who was handcuffed to metal exercise equipment in a backyard and screaming for help.
Upon arrival, officers discovered an unidentified woman with serious injuries, who was shirtless and bound to a punching bag table.
First responders immediately attempted to rescue her but needed the Austin Fire Department to provide specialized equipment to cut the metal restraints.
Officials noted that the woman exhibited signs of severe physical distress and trauma linked to prolonged constraint.
During the rescue effort, five adults inside the house tried to flee but were apprehended promptly.
Additionally, two young children were found at the residence and placed with Child Protective Services for their safety.
The suspects—Michelle Garcia, 51; Crystal Garcia, 21; Mache Carney, 32; Juan Pablo Castro, 30; and Maynard Lefevers, 21—are accused of holding the woman captive for several months.
The victim mentioned that she had been friends with Michelle Garcia but claimed the group eventually decided they no longer wanted her around, leading to her captivity.
She reported being forced to live outside for weeks and faced beatings whenever she attempted to escape. The exact duration of her captivity remains unclear.
Authorities indicated that she was given just one meal per day and kept shackled to metal tables, sometimes with her wrists behind her back.
Michelle Garcia allegedly limited the victim’s food intake because she thought she was “gaining weight.” Yet, investigators noted the woman appeared severely malnourished.
Moreover, the victim recounted that just before her discovery, her pants fell off, and she was left in “a big mess.” She was then shot with a BB gun, handcuffed outside, and left half-naked overnight in temperatures dropping into the 40s as punishment.
Throughout her ordeal, she sustained severe injuries, including open wounds, significant swelling, and scarring from BB bullets, plus major facial injuries.
Hospital examinations revealed her injuries were consistent with extended torture, and scans showed a BB lodged in her right eye.
Castro reportedly told police he shot her with a BB gun because he “didn’t want to touch her.”
He also confessed to using the BB gun to intimidate her after returning home, stating his dislike for her.
A 4-year-old boy found in the home, believed to be Castro’s son, remarked that his father shot women when they were “bad,” with Carney often present during such incidents.
All five suspects face charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, injury to an elderly or disabled person, and unlawful restraint. They are currently held at the Travis County Jail with bail set at $305,000.
Garcia and Carney are set to return to court on November 18th and 21st, while the others are due on December 15th.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
