A Texas woman faces a felony charge after police were alerted to the deteriorating condition of her 32-year-old disabled daughter, who reportedly weighed only 55 pounds upon admission to a local hospital.
Felisa Ann Sepulveda, 48, was arrested on February 28 after taking her unnamed adult daughter to Ascension Seton Hospital in Luling, Texas. Sepulveda reportedly told medical staff her daughter had been suffering from a cough for a week.
However, the hospital discovered far more alarming issues, including pneumonia, severe malnutrition, dehydration, and physical neglect. An affidavit described the daughter’s condition as resembling that of a “concentration camp survivor.”
According to the affidavit, hospital staff observed signs of “severe caloric deficit” suggesting prolonged malnourishment. The patient’s body was reportedly “caked” in human waste, and her clothing was soiled with dirt, dried animal and human feces, urine, and blood. Additional findings included bedsores from immobility and severe dental decay.
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Despite Sepulveda’s claim that her daughter could walk and feed herself, doctors disputed this, citing her extreme emaciation. In a police interview, Sepulveda allegedly admitted that her daughter had not been bathed or showered in over five years and that she cleaned her with wipes. She also disclosed that the last time her daughter saw a doctor was in 2018.
The affidavit emphasized that there was “no medical reason for [the daughter’s] emaciation and malnutrition.”
Further investigations revealed troubling conditions at Sepulveda’s home, where she lived with her two adult children. According to The Seguin Gazette, 29 dogs were also found on the property.
The animals were removed and placed in local shelters and foster homes. Sepulveda, who was reportedly unemployed, was the sole caregiver for both her daughter and her disabled adult son.
Sepulveda was charged with felony injury to a disabled person. She remains in custody at the Guadalupe County Jail with bond set at $300,000. The case has drawn attention to the critical need for oversight and support in situations involving caregivers for vulnerable individuals.
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