Couple 'basically confessed' to failing to treat 12-year-old girl's fatal injuries

ATASCOSA COUNTY, Texas (TCN) -- A couple was arrested last week after they reportedly failed to seek medical aid when the woman's 12-year-old daughter suffered from critical and ultimately fatal injuries.

According to the Atascosa County Sheriff's Office, on Monday, Aug. 12, at 8 p.m., the county dispatch received a call from Denise Balbaneda, who said she needed medical assistance for her daughter. Paramedics met her on Highway 16 South and transported the victim, who was "alive but unconscious," to a local hospital. Doctors reportedly "worked vigorously to treat the victim," but she was pronounced deceased at 9:55 p.m. KSAT-TV identified the girl as Miranda Sipps.

Investigators began looking into the circumstances surrounding her injuries and death. The sheriff's office said Balbaneda and her husband, Gerald Gonzales, "failed to seek medical assistance for the girl, even though she was mentally and physically incapacitated and non-responsive."

Balbaneda called 911 once Sipps went into respiratory distress.

In a press conference, Sheriff David Soward said Sipps "could flutter her eyes and move her hands a bit," but Gonzales and Balbaneda reportedly failed to seek medical care for her for four days.

"They had her laying on a pallet in the house," Soward said.

He did not reveal details about her injuries, but said she was unconscious and required oxygen. Balbaneda and Gonzales allegedly "thought they could nurse her back to health" and tried giving her smoothies, but Soward said, "Someone who is not conscious is not able to swallow."

According to Soward, they "basically confessed" to failing to seek care for Sipps.

Balbaned and Gonzales were arrested on a charge of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission.

Sipps was a cheerleader at Jourdanton Jr. High School and was supposed to turn 13 this month.

Soward said, "You still have a duty as a parent to provide medical care to a 12-year-old child."

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