How Could You? Hall of Shame-Neyali Perez case-Child Death

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Houston, Texas, foster child Neyali Perez, 16, died in March 2024. Foster mother, Tracy Gonzales “was arrested in front of the same house on charges of injury to a disabled person” on December 30, 2024.

“According to records, Neyali Perez weighed just 78 pounds when she died and suffered from several horrific injuries.

“It is alleged (that when Perez was found), she was only wearing a diaper,” a judge read out during Gonzalez’s initial probable cause court appearance. “The records show that Houston Fire Department paramedics found Perez ‘had stab wounds to the genitals, suffering from dehydration and malnutrition.'”

The news that Gonzales was charged in the death of Perez shocked neighbors. The Rodriguez family lives next door, and until a year ago, they saw Perez regularly.

“She actually went to school with my daughter,” Frank Rodriguez said, adding that Perez did not look outwardly handicapped. The family tells ABC13 that Perez told them that she had learning differences and had been diagnosed with autism.

“She was just a normal girl. Going to school,” Rodriguez said.

The Rodriguez family says Perez stopped showing up for school a year ago but that Gonzales always had an excuse when asked.

However, new court records show her condition deteriorated considerably under Gonzales’ care, and the foster mother never notified authorities.

In February 2022, medical records show Perez weighed 118 pounds, 40 pounds heavier than her weight when she was found dead this past March.

Perez was found wearing nothing but a diaper, and her other clothes were all dirty.

Gonzales is now behind bars with a bond set at $200,000.

Investigators say Gonzales didn’t report the condition of Perez because she didn’t want to lose custody of her younger children.”

Houston caretaker behind bars after horrific death of 16-year-old with disabilities

[ABC 13 12/31/24 by Miya Shay]

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