TX FRANKIE GONZALES: Missing from Waco, TX - 1 June 2020 - Age 2 *Found Deceased**GUILTY PLEA*

AMBER ALERT: Missing 2-year-old child possibly in grave or immediate danger

WACO, Texas - An AMBER Alert has been issued for a 2-year-old Waco boy. According to state authorities, Frankie Gonzales was last seen wearing a gray Mickey Mouse shirt, with gray pants, which also had Mickey Mouse on them. The 2-year-old boy also had black and white Nike shoes on, he's said to...

news4sanantonio.com

AMBER ALERT: Missing 2-year-old child possibly in grave or immediate danger

An AMBER Alert has been issued for a 2-year-old Waco boy.

According to state authorities, Frankie Gonzales was last seen wearing a gray Mickey Mouse shirt, with gray pants, which also had Mickey Mouse on them. The 2-year-old boy also had black and white Nike shoes on, he's said to be 2'6'', his weight is unknown.

Law enforcement officials say Gonzales was abducted near N University Parks and Herring Ave in Waco at 1:53 p.m., Monday.

It's unknown who took him or what vehicle they may or may not be in. Authorities say they believe Gonzales is in immediate or grave danger. If you know anything about where he may be, you're asked to call Waco PD at 254-750-7685.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Baby Frankie's death ruled a homicide

Frankie Gonzalez, the toddler whose body was found June 2 in a trash bin, died from homicidal violence including blunt force injuries, according to a cause of death report released

wacotrib.com

Baby Frankie's death ruled a homicide

Frankie Gonzalez, the toddler whose body was found June 2 in a trash bin, died from homicidal violence including blunt force injuries, according to a cause of death report released Monday.

In a one-page preliminary report, pathologists at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas ruled Frankie’s cause of death as homicide.

Frankie’s mother, Laura Villalon, also known as Laura Sanchez, 35, remains in the McLennan County Jail on a first-degree felony injury to a child charge in Frankie’s death. She also is being held for an alleged parole violation.

Villalon’s attorney, Susan Shafer, declined comment Monday.

McLennan County First Assistant District Attorney Nelson Barnes said he is waiting for the final autopsy report “to make final evaluations” about how to proceed with the case.

Lorenzo Gonzalez’s attorney, Phil Martinez, said his client remains “torn up” over the death of his son.

“He is very upset that his son died,” Martinez said. “Initially, before he was arrested, he was cooperating with law enforcement about what he knew and what he could tell them about what might have happened. Every time I have talked to him about it, he is broken up regarding all of this. He doesn’t know what could have overcome the mother to do something like that. He is also looking for answers.”

Frankie’s sisters remain in state foster care.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Autopsy details toddler Frankie Gonzalez's violent death

Pathologists also reported the 2-year-old had suffered a broken arm about a month before he died.

wacotrib.com

Autopsy details toddler Frankie Gonzalez's violent death

Laura Villalon told police she slammed her 2-year-old son’s head against a wall and placed his body in a closet four days before she led Waco police to a large garbage bin, where she had dumped the boy after wrapping his body in 12 trash bags, according to a final autopsy report released Thursday.

Frankie Gonzalez, Villalon’s 25-pound toddler, died of homicidal violence, including blunt force injuries, forehead and scalp contusions, a forehead laceration, numerous contusions to his arms and legs and three broken ribs and a broken right arm that pathologists say occurred about a month or weeks before his death.

“Additional injuries such as smothering or other forms of asphyxiation cannot be ruled out,” the report states.



The girls, who remain in foster care, were the subject of a 75-minute CPS hearing Thursday morning, where Associate Judge Nikki Mundkowski granted a motion from the state to add aggravating factors to the case, which will expedite the parental rights termination process against Villalon and Gonzalez and negate efforts by CPS officials to continue working plans to reunite the family.

Mundkowski set an initial termination hearing for Sept. 1 and a final termination hearing for Dec. 8.

The officials said Frankie’s sisters, ages 3 and 1, also tested positive for methamphetamine at levels high enough to indicate they must have ingested the powerful stimulant in some way.

“Both parents ignored the bruises on Frankie, both parents ignored the broken shoulder and both parents chose not to seek medical assistance for approximately a month while this child had a broken shoulder,” Martinez told the judge. “Frankie died as a result of the acts and/or inactions of both these parents, Laura Villalon and Lorenzo Gonzalez. If either or both of these girls are returned to either of these parents, we are putting these girls at risk of imminent physical bodily harm by one or both of these parents.”

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Mother of dead Waco toddler indicted for capital murder and injury to a child

Laura Sanchez, also known as Laura Villalon, was indicted after her 2-year-old son, Frankie Gonzales, died in her care in May.

www.kcentv.com

Mother of dead Waco toddler indicted for capital murder and injury to a child

The mother of the Waco 2-year-old who died and was later dumped in a garbage can was indicted for capital murder and injury to a child.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

An update from earlier this year on an older case.

Baby Frankie's parents surrender parental rights to his siblings, avoid termination trial

A parental rights trial Tuesday for two sisters of Frankie Gonzalez, the toddler found battered and dead in June 2020 and whose parents were arrested in his death, has shifted

wacotrib.com

Baby Frankie's parents surrender parental rights to his siblings, avoid termination trial​

A parental rights trial Tuesday for two sisters of Frankie Gonzalez, the toddler found battered and dead in June 2020 and whose parents were arrested in his death, has shifted focus after Frankie’s parents relinquished their rights to his siblings.

Child Protective Services officials still are seeking to terminate the parental rights of a man identified through a paternity test as the biological father of one the sisters.

The children’s mother, Laura Villalon, is under capital murder indictment, charged with fabricating a story about her missing toddler, Frankie, before leading police to his body in a trash bin in June 2020. Villalon, who previously lost custody of six older children because of neglect and prolonged drug abuse, signed termination papers Wednesday relinquishing custody of Frankie’s two sisters, who have been in CPS foster care since her arrest.

Lorenzo Gonzalez, Frankie’s father who is under indictment on injury to a child by omission and abandoning a child charges in Frankie’s death, believed that both of Frankie’s sisters were his biological daughters. However, he learned after a paternity test six months ago that one of the girls was fathered by Jorge Martinez. Gonzalez relinquished his rights to his daughter Thursday. That ended Villalon’s and Gonzalez’s involvement in the termination case.

However, Martinez, who has not hired an attorney and who missed a pretrial hearing Wednesday, is still set for trial in the termination proceedings Tuesday in Waco’s 74th State District Court.

Court officials have not heard from Martinez and are unsure if he plans to attend Tuesday’s jury selection process. If he does not, court officials will determine then how to proceed.

Before Frankie’s death, Gonzalez had primary custody of the two girls and Frankie, who was born while Villalon was in prison. He promised CPS workers he would not leave the children alone with Villalon without authorized supervision, according to records filed in the case. He has told police he thought Villalon was progressing in her fight against drug abuse, and therefore, he deemed it safe to leave them alone with her while he went to work.

Robert Stem Jr., who represented Gonzalez in the termination case, said Gonzalez helped raise the two girls and considered both his own, even after he learned that one was not his biological child.

“The last year and a half has been an absolute nightmare for my client,” Stem said. “His lost his only son tragically and will forever mourn his death. He misses his daughters terribly, and at the end of the day, he did what he thought was in their best interests.”

There is no trial setting in the criminal cases against Villalon or Gonzalez. However, 19th State District Judge Thomas West has scheduled a status conference in their cases for March 11.

Kyle Dennis, who represented Villalon in her termination case, did not return phone messages Friday. Villalon’s criminal attorney, Russ Hunt, said Friday he is reviewing evidence from the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office in preparation for the March 11 status hearing.

Both Villalon and Gonzalez remain in the McLennan County Jail on their respective pending charges. Gonzalez also is under an immigration detention order.
Villalon ignited a massive search by police and community members in June 2020 after she reported that 2-year-old Frankie had gone missing during a family outing to Cameron Park.

She led police to Frankie’s body the next day and admitted she slammed his head against a wall and placed his body in a closet after he lost consciousness, according to records in the case. She told police she dumped her son in a trash bin after wrapping his body in 12 trash bags two days before she led police to the body, according to the records.

An autopsy report revealed the 25-pound toddler died of homicidal violence and suffered blunt force injuries, forehead and scalp contusions, a forehead laceration, numerous contusions to his arms and legs and three broken ribs and a broken right arm that pathologists say occurred about a month before his death.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Baby Frankie's father pushes for speedy trial, mother asks for more time

The mother of Baby Frankie Gonzales sought more time Thursday to build her defense, while the child’s father requested his case go to trial quickly.

wacotrib.com

Baby Frankie's father pushes for speedy trial, mother asks for more time​

The mother of Baby Frankie Gonzales sought more time Thursday to build her defense, while the child’s father requested his case go to trial quickly.

Laura Jane Villalon remains under indictment on charges of capital murder and injury to a child in the death of her 2-year-old son, who was found battered and dead in a dumpster in the summer of 2020, after police reported Villalon had falsely claimed he went missing. The boy’s father, Lorenzo Gonzales, is under indictment on a charge of abandoning a child, accused of breaking a Child Protective Services agreement to not leave Frankie and two of his siblings alone with Villalon.

Gonzales’ attorney, Phil Martinez, said during his status conference Thursday in Waco’s 19th State District Court that Gonzales is growing frustrated and does not want to wait on Villalon to be tried for his case to move forward. Martinez requested a speedy trial.

Judge Thomas West tentatively scheduled a trial for March 20, pending the return of results from a DNA test related to the case. Martinez told the judge of the pending test but did not specify the nature of the DNA being tested.

Villalon’s attorney, Russ Hunt Sr., said before Villalon’s hearing that her defense team is still in the investigation phase, determining what evidence it has and tying up loose ends before meeting with a prosecutor and providing evidence in Villalon’s defense. He said there are a number of questions that remain, but declined to go into detail.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Father of Frankie Gonzales, slain Waco boy dumped in trash bin, sentenced to 10 years in prison

The father has been placed under an immigration detainer and is expected to be deported after he serves his prison term.

www.kwtx.com

Father of Frankie Gonzales, slain Waco boy dumped in trash bin, sentenced to 10 years in prison​

The father of Frankie Gonzales, the toddler found battered and dead in a trash bin in June 2020, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday.

Lorenzo Gonzales, 31, pleaded guilty Monday to abandoning a child and injury to a child by omission in a plea bargain with the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office that called for Gonzales to serve two concurrent, 10-year prison terms.

Gonzales, who has been jailed 1,006 days, must serve at least half of his 10-year term before he can seek parole. He also has been placed under an immigration detainer and is expected to be deported after he serves his prison term, court officials said Monday.

Frankie’s mother, Laura Villalon, 38, remains jailed under indictment for capital murder and injury to a child. She has a May 15 trial date, but has worked out a tentative plea agreement with the district attorney’s office, her attorney, Russ Hunt, said Monday.

In exchange for her guilty plea to first-degree felony injury to a child, the state has agreed to waive the capital murder charge and the death penalty and recommend she be sentenced to 50 years in prison. Under the terms of that deal, Villalon must be given credit for serving at least a quarter of her sentence before she is eligible for parole, Hunt said. No date has been set for her plea, court officials said.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Baby Frankie's father pushes for speedy trial, mother asks for more time

The mother of Baby Frankie Gonzales sought more time Thursday to build her defense, while the child’s father requested his case go to trial quickly.

wacotrib.com

Baby Frankie's father pushes for speedy trial, mother asks for more time​

The mother of Baby Frankie Gonzales sought more time Thursday to build her defense, while the child’s father requested his case go to trial quickly.

Laura Jane Villalon remains under indictment on charges of capital murder and injury to a child in the death of her 2-year-old son, who was found battered and dead in a dumpster in the summer of 2020, after police reported Villalon had falsely claimed he went missing. The boy’s father, Lorenzo Gonzales, is under indictment on a charge of abandoning a child, accused of breaking a Child Protective Services agreement to not leave Frankie and two of his siblings alone with Villalon.

Gonzales’ attorney, Phil Martinez, said during his status conference Thursday in Waco’s 19th State District Court that Gonzales is growing frustrated and does not want to wait on Villalon to be tried for his case to move forward. Martinez requested a speedy trial.

Judge Thomas West tentatively scheduled a trial for March 20, pending the return of results from a DNA test related to the case. Martinez told the judge of the pending test but did not specify the nature of the DNA being tested.

Villalon’s attorney, Russ Hunt Sr., said before Villalon’s hearing that her defense team is still in the investigation phase, determining what evidence it has and tying up loose ends before meeting with a prosecutor and providing evidence in Villalon’s defense. He said there are a number of questions that remain, but declined to go into detail.

Sounds like a Chad and Lori move. Not surprised someone else is trying it right after it worked for them. One wanting a speedy trial and the other defendant not.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Mother of slain Waco boy to plead guilty after district attorney agreed to waive capital murder charge

The mother of slain Waco boy Frankie Gonzales is set to plead guilty May 4, her attorney and court officials confirmed Tuesday.

www.kwtx.com

Mother of slain Waco boy to plead guilty after district attorney agreed to waive capital murder charge​

The mother of Baby Frankie Gonzales, who gave birth to her son in prison, and then reportedly wrapped his battered body in trash bags before throwing him in a trash bin in June 2020, is set to plead guilty May 4, her attorney and court officials confirmed Tuesday.

Laura Villalon, 38, who has been jailed 1,051 days, has agreed to plead guilty to an injury to a child charge with a deadly weapon finding in exchange for a recommendation from the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office that she be sentenced to 50 years in prison.

The deadly weapon finding means prison officials would have to give Villalon credit for serving at least 25 years in prison before she can seek parole.

Villalon, who remains under indictment for capital murder, has a tentative May 15 trial date. However, her attorney, Russ Hunt, said Tuesday the DA’s office has agreed to waive the capital murder charge and Villalon has agreed to accept the 50-year prison sentence.