A Balch Springs mother is behind bars after her 19-year-old daughter with severe autism was found dead in deplorable conditions.

On Feb. 14 at approximately 2:33 p.m., the Balch Springs police received a 911 call from Crystal Canales on Horseshoe Trail, the department said in a news release. She reported that her daughter, Delilah Villegas, was having trouble breathing.

When officers arrived, they detected a strong foul odor coming from Villegas' bedroom and found her dead in a near-fetal position, the news release states. 

The bedroom had a single mattress on the floor and two pallets of comforters, sheets and pillows.

Medical personnel confirmed the absence of vital signs and noted that Villegas had been dead for at least six and possibly up to 24 hours, police said.

A closer examination of Villegas' body revealed severe malnutrition, multiple wounds and exposed bones on her right thigh, shoulder, hip, buttocks, hand and ankle.

At a news conference on Saturday, Balch Springs police officer Pedro Gonzalez described the victim's injuries as "skin to bone," saying she had large lacerations, exposed decaying limbs and looked like she was in a "mummified" position on the concrete floor.  

A body outline on the floor indicated she had been in the same position for a prolonged period, police said.

When asked about Villegas' injuries, Canales said she did not seek medical care.

Family members said Villegas — who was non-verbal and wore a diaper — would become "extremely violent," punching, hitting and kicking them. There was also an incident involving an altercation on the school bus, Gonzalez said.

The last confirmed hospital visit for Villegas and the last call for service at Canales' address were both in 2021, the news release states.

Detectives determined that Canales' failure to obtain medical care likely constituted reckless conduct, resulting in serious bodily injury to a disabled person — a second-degree felony, Gonzalez said. Balch Springs police arrested her on Friday and transported her to the Balch Springs Jail, where she is awaiting transfer to the Dallas County Jail.

Gonzalez confirmed that the victim's grandmother and great-uncle also lived in the home, though he couldn't say whether they would face charges.