pasadena girl killed
Police are now appealing for more information from the public because they have no suspects (Picture: KTRK)

A dad came home and found his 11-year-old daughter strangled to death underneath her bed.

Police responded to a call from an apartment complex in Pasadena, Texas, at 3pm on Saturday.

When paramedics arrived at the scene the girl – identified as Maria Gonzalez – was found dead at the scene.

The girl’s dad, Carmelo Gonzalez, 32, told Fox 26 he found her sexually assaulted and killed when he returned from work.

He said Maria texted him at 10am that morning to say someone was knocking at their door.

‘I told her, “Don’t open the door because I am arriving at work,” and she responded, “I am in my bed,”‘.

The dad described his daughter as a ‘good, quiet girl’ who only recently turned 11.

Carmelo later asked relatives who live in the same building to go and check on her.

An 11-year-old Pasadena girl was sexually assaulted and strangled at her home Saturday while her dad was at work, police said. She has been identified as Maria Gonzalez from Guatemala. As of Tuesday, no arrests have been made. Police said they were called to an apartment complex on Main Street near Harris Avenue at about 3 p.m. when Maria's father, Carmelo Gonzalez, called 911. He came home from work and found his daughter's body wrapped in a trash bag and stuffed in a laundry basket that was put beneath her bed. NEWS 12415007 Texas dad finds his 11-year-old daughter strangled to death underneath her bed after she was sexually assaulted - as he reveals he told her not to answer the door to a mystery person
Carmelo said there was a stranger knocking on the door while Maria was in bed (Picture: KTRK)
An 11-year-old Pasadena girl was sexually assaulted and strangled at her home Saturday while her dad was at work, police said. She has been identified as Maria Gonzalez from Guatemala. As of Tuesday, no arrests have been made. Police said they were called to an apartment complex on Main Street near Harris Avenue at about 3 p.m. when Maria's father, Carmelo Gonzalez, called 911. He came home from work and found his daughter's body wrapped in a trash bag and stuffed in a laundry basket that was put beneath her bed. NEWS 12415007 Texas dad finds his 11-year-old daughter strangled to death underneath her bed after she was sexually assaulted - as he reveals he told her not to answer the door to a mystery person
The dad left for work in the morning and returned to find his daughter’s dead body (Picture: KTRK)
An 11-year-old Pasadena girl was sexually assaulted and strangled at her home Saturday while her dad was at work, police said. She has been identified as Maria Gonzalez from Guatemala. As of Tuesday, no arrests have been made. Police said they were called to an apartment complex on Main Street near Harris Avenue at about 3 p.m. when Maria's father, Carmelo Gonzalez, called 911. He came home from work and found his daughter's body wrapped in a trash bag and stuffed in a laundry basket that was put beneath her bed. NEWS 12415007 Texas dad finds his 11-year-old daughter strangled to death underneath her bed after she was sexually assaulted - as he reveals he told her not to answer the door to a mystery person
The set of apartment blocks are now at the scene of a police investigation (Picture: KTRK)

Pasadena police chief Josh Bruegger said during a news conference that her aunt and uncle found the door open but were unable to locate her.

Police do not currently have any suspects and confirmed there was no forced entry into the home.

They have asked the public for information.

Maria’s cause of death has been ruled as asphyxiation due to strangulation and blunt force head and neck trauma.

‘At this point, the father’s alibi checks out, so he is, at this point, not considered a suspect in this investigation,’ Bruegger said.

Bruegger said the dad and daughter had been living in the apartment complex for about three months and the girl’s mum lives in Guatemala.

‘Whoever saw something just after 10am on Saturday at that particular apartment, we’re asking them to come forward with the information they might have,’ he continued.

‘We’re doing our level best to get out and solve this crime.

‘As a parent of an almost-10-year-old myself, it certainly is a cause for concern.’

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