A 2-year-old girl has died in Texas after allegedly suffering severe abuse at the hands of her mother's boyfriend. Jazmin Cisneros, 28, and Gerardo Gonzalez, 29, appeared at a Spring gas station on August 6 seeking help for the unresponsive toddler, Janessa Martinez.
Janessa died on Thursday, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. She had been hospitalized for less than a week after being discovered with multiple life-threatening injuries, including a fractured skull, lacerated liver, and broken pelvis.
Gonzalez allegedly admitted to authorities that he repeatedly hit the toddler in the head, punched her in the chest, lower back, and bottom, and stomped on her pelvis. He was arrested last Friday and charged with causing serious bodily injury to a child, with his bond set at $1 million.
Prosecutors allege that Cisneros was aware of ongoing abuse against her daughter but did not report it because she did not want Gonzalez to go to jail. She was arrested Tuesday and charged with the same felony as Gonzalez, facing a $500,000 bond. Her attorney stated that Gonzalez had threatened Cisneros, allegedly using "cartel connections" to intimidate her.
According to court documents, Gonzalez has previous arrests but no prior convictions. Cisneros's seven-year-old child has been relocated to live with family in Chicago.
Investigators have stated that the case remains under investigation by homicide detectives. A GoFundMe created by a man identified as Janessa's father, Norman Martinez, described the toddler as "strong, beautiful and independent" and someone who "loves to sing, dance and bring joy to everyone around her."