Police in Austin say a woman was discovered handcuffed to exercise equipment outside a home where she claimed she’d been held captive and tortured for months. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by local station KXAN, officers responded to a “check welfare urgent” call on the morning of October 30 after a 911 caller reported hearing a woman “screaming for help.” When police arrived, they found her restrained to a workout apparatus lodged in a gate at the home’s fence line.
Her Captors Shot Her With A BB Gun
The woman told officers she had been shot repeatedly with a BB gun and handcuffed “for months, inside and outside of the house.” She said she had once been friends with one of the women inside the home and had visited frequently until, as she put it, “they decided they didn’t like her anymore and no longer allowed her to leave.” Police detained several people who emerged from the residence while officers were helping the woman. Five suspects — Michelle Garcia, 51; Crystal Garcia, 21; Mache Carney, 32; Juan Pablo Castro, 30; and Maynard Lefevers, 21 — were arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, injury to the elderly or disabled, and unlawful restraint.
There Were Children On The Premises
A statement from the Austin Police Department confirmed that three children were also found in the house and were taken into custody by Child Protective Services. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Doctors documented “hundreds of round BB-sized scars” across her body, consistent with being shot multiple times over an extended period, according to the affidavit. Police did not release her name, and her current condition remains unclear.
No One Knows How Long The Woman Was Held Captive
When questioned by investigators, Castro reportedly admitted to shooting the woman with a BB gun “when she did not want to go into handcuffs,” court records show. He also said she was typically restrained outside the home at night. The alleged abuse, detailed in the affidavit, paints a grim picture of prolonged captivity and violence in an otherwise ordinary suburban neighborhood. Authorities have not said what first drew the 911 caller’s attention to the scene or how long the woman may have been held before she was discovered.
Their Neighbors Were Stunned
Neighbors told local reporters they were stunned by the arrests. The home, located in a quiet part of south Austin. As the investigation continues, the five suspects remain in custody, each facing a combination of felony charges that could carry lengthy prison sentences if convicted.
