In a tragic incident of child abuse, a 10-year-old girl was strangled and dismembered on her birthday, with her remains later set on fire.
The victim, Victoria Martens, was found partially wrapped in a burning blanket at her mother Michelle’s home in 2018. Michelle, along with her boyfriend Fabian Gonzales and his cousin Jessica Kelley, were arrested and charged with various offenses including first-degree murder, child abuse, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Although the accused initially pleaded not guilty, Michelle later admitted to one count of child abuse resulting in death. She claimed that her daughter was given alcohol and methamphetamine to sedate her for sexual purposes. However, subsequent investigations revealed that only alcohol was present in Victoria’s system.
Authorities allege that Michelle witnessed Gonzales raping and killing her daughter, while Gonzales and Kelley are accused of dismembering the body. Gonzales denied involvement, stating he played no part in the tragic event.
Michelle’s attorney mentioned that autopsy results could benefit their defense, while Kelley’s attorney had no comment. Search warrants indicated that Michelle had sought men online to abuse her daughter, with at least three men allegedly involved.
The trials of Gonzales and Kelley were postponed to 2022, while Michelle accepted a plea deal in 2018. Gonzales was sentenced to 37-and-a-half years for child abuse resulting in death and tampering with evidence. Michelle received a 12-year prison term but was released in October.
Kelley pleaded guilty to reckless child abuse resulting in death and was sentenced to 44 years, with expectations of serving less than half of her sentence.