Updated: Monday, 27 Jun 2011, 7:13 PM CDT
Published : Monday, 27 Jun 2011, 6:27 PM CDT

Erin Cargile
Shannon Wolfson

BURNET, Texas (KXAN) - A Burnet County woman has finally turned herself in, accused of being responsible for the death of her 9-year-old daughter, Abigail Garcia, by denying her the medication and food she required.

An arrest warrant affidavit was issued on Friday for Georgina Chavez Garcia, 33, for injury to a child, a first-degree felony.

Officials were actively searching for Garcia during the weekend, but were not able to locate her; Garcia eventually turned herself into Burnet Police on Monday afternoon.

According to investigators, Garcia repeatedly allowed the prescriptions to control her daughter's epilepsy to lapse.

Garcia is also accused of letting some four months to pass with fixing a feeding machine for her daughter, who suffered from cerebral palsy and needed the device to keep her nourished.

Burnet Police Chief Paul Nelson said the child's parents took her to Seton Highland Lakes Medical Center on June 13, but she died a few hours later. Investigators believe the child, who weighed 47 pounds, was far too skinny.

"The child did have a pulse at the time of arrival but unfortunately the child did pass away at the hospital," said Nelson. "She had cerebral palsy, she had a feeding tube, so we're looking into the feeding machine and the medications she was taking."

Investigators have been interviewing several people, including the child's parents, teachers, siblings and other relatives.

Nelson said both parents and several relatives are cooperating with the investigation and that Child Protective Services is also investigating. Five other children who were living in the home have been placed with another relative.

The Travis County Medical Examiner's office performed an autopsy, but an official cause of death has not been released.

Police will turn the investigation over to the Burnet County Attorney's Office.

According to CPS spokeswoman, Julie Moody, the family did not have previous history with CPS; however at the time of Abigail Garcia's death, CPS was working with the family.

The family's five other siblings are together with appropriate family members.

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/Mom-arrested-in-9-year-olds-death

Emphasis added by H4K Editor