Sisters Accused of Treating Child ‘Like Slaves’ Charged with Forced Labor

Two Texas sisters accused of restraining, assaulting and enslaving a 12-year-old girl — investigators say they assisted in a previous case of abuse — have been charged with federal charges, according to court records.

Tania Evette Garcia,37, and Brenda Mariana Garcia39, are both charged with kidnapping and forced labor, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced in a Monday, February 9, news release.

Brenda’s defense attorney, Guy Lee Womackhe did not return immediately Us Weekly’s request for comment. A defense attorney was not immediately listed for Tania in court records viewed by Us Tuesday, February 10.

The case comes after the sisters, both of Conroe, were first arrested by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office on federal charges after deputies said they responded to a call about a 12-year-old child who reported being physically and sexually abused, according to an Oct. 6 news release shared by the agency.

An affidavit in support of the criminal complaint details the alleged abuse of Tania and Brenda, who are accused of abusing the girl, who was found walking alone, seeking help, on a street in Splendora, Texas, on September 28, according to investigators.

A witness found the girl “malnourished, injured, and with a tie around her wrist” that day, the affidavit states.

The girl told a Montgomery County deputy that she had just escaped from Brenda and Tania’s home, where she had been beaten by the sisters six months earlier, according to the affidavit.

During an investigative interview, the girl said she was living with her uncle before she was abused by her sisters, the affidavit said.

In March 2025, the girl told a family friend, who was Brenda’s daughter, that her uncle had sexually abused her since she was 6 years old, according to the file.

After that, Brenda, Brenda’s daughter and Tania work together to “remove [the] the girl of his uncle’s house after finding evidence of torture,” the affidavit said.

The girl began living with Brenda and Tania later that month, according to the affidavit.

About two months later, in May 2025, Brenda took her to meet with a Harris County deputy to discuss allegations of sexual abuse by her uncle and another relative, the affidavit said.

Her uncle, according to authorities, is charged with child sexual abuse in Harris County.

Other details about his criminal case were not available. It was not yet clear whether he has retained a lawyer.

After Brenda took the girl to talk to the deputy in May 2025, the girl said Brenda hit her “for the first time because, according to Brenda GARCIA, [her] the officers’ statements were ‘contradictory,’” the affidavit said.

After the girl’s report, Brenda allegedly told a Child Protective Services worker that the girl had been “returned to Honduras,” where the girl’s mother lived, according to the affidavit.

Brenda “then said [the girl] that now no one will want him,” said the affidavit.

The girl told investigators she was repeatedly abused by Brenda and her sister over the next several months, and was not even given food to eat, according to the file.

“He reported that Brenda and Tania were beaten with ropes, portable chargers, sticks, and canes,” who were accused of forcing him to “undress and be naked while being beaten.”

The sisters are accused of filming and taking pictures of the abuse.

The girl also told investigators that she was often zip-tied and had to do a lot of housework as a form of punishment, according to the affidavit.

“In short, Brenda and Tania GARCIA are here [her] as a slave and forced him to work indoors and outdoors, cleaning and taking care of livestock and property,” the affidavit said.

If both women are convicted, they each face up to life in prison, according to federal prosecutors.

Defense attorneys representing Tania and Brenda separately in their criminal cases did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

If you or someone you know is being abused by children, call or text the Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.