ABC-7 Exclusive: Murdered Toddler’s Father Speaks Out

By Ken Molestina

EL PASO — There’s no doubt in the mindMarco Gonzales’ mindas to how his three-year-olddaughter died this week. Gonzales saidthe girl’smother andstepfather are to blame.

Gonzales, 21,said hisworst nightmare has come true. He said he had not seen his daughter, Jacqueline, for several months because of an on-going custody dispute with her mother, Yara Perez.

Gonzales said theloss of his daughter (inset) is ‘devastating’

Perez and her common-law husband Franscisco Castanedawere arrested Tuesdayandcharged in the toddler’s death. Police performed a welfare check on the child the night before and found the girl’s body in the trunk of Perez’s car.

Gonzales says the loss has devastated his family and now they want answers. The last few times he saw the girl she showed clear signs of abuse, he said. The alleged abuse was reported to Child Protective Services but nothing was done, he says.

He is convinced Perez and Castaneda should be punished for the crime.”They did it. They both have something to do with it. Idon’t want to go to court for them to plead insanity. They are not insane, they’re just sick,” he said.

Gonzales said he and Perez were due back in court next January for another custody hearing.

“I hope[Perezand Castaneda]go through what Jacqueline went through. Justice will be served,” he said.

The family of Jacqueline Gonzalez has established a fund to pay for funeral expenses and for the surviving daughter, Yara. Public donations can be made at any Chase Bank location or transferred electronically using the following information:

Name: Jacqueline Janice GonzalezAcct #: 760247767Routing #: 111000614