Family of 11-year-old found strangled in Pasadena to hold public viewing on Wednesday, Aug. 23

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Monday, August 21, 2023
Public viewing to be held for 11-year-old murdered in Pasadena
The family of Maria Gonzalez will hold a public viewing service on Wednesday Aug. 23, after she was found murdered inside her Pasadena apartment.

PASADENA, Texas (KTRK) -- A public viewing service will be held for an 11-year-old girl who was found dead inside her Pasadena apartment one week ago.

The video above is from a previous report.

The viewing of Maria Gonzalez will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 23, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Mundo Pentecostal, located at 1008 S. Main St.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Father finds 11-year-old daughter strangled to death under bed, Pasadena police say

"We are inviting our community to stand with us and say our final farewell to our daughter, before she returns to Guatemala, where she will be laid to rest. I thank you for supporting us in this very difficult time. We are regaining our strength and preparing to see Maria for the last time," Maria's family said in a statement.

On Saturday, Aug. 12, Maria was found sexually assaulted and strangled. Her father, Carmelo Gonzalez, found her body, wrapped in a trash bag, inside a clothes hamper underneath her bed, according to police.

RELATED: 18-year-old arrested after confessing to Pasadena 11-year-old's murder, sexual assault sources say

One week later, Pasadena police confirmed that the suspect, 18-year-old Juan Carlos Garcia-Rodriguez, was arrested in Louisiana after sources say he made a full confession.

Garcia-Rodriguez is awaiting extradition back to Texas, where he is expected in front of a judge.