12-Year-Old Texas Cheerleader Died After Parents Tried to Treat ‘Life-Threatening’ Injuries With Smoothies and Vitamins: Sheriff
Denise Balbaneda (left) and Gerald Gonzalez (right) were arrested after their 12-year-old died at home.
Aug. 15 2024, Updated 12:45 p.m. ET
A 12-year-old cheerleader from Texas died earlier this week, four days after her parents tried to treat her mysterious and “life-threatening” injuries with smoothies and vitamins, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office, Miranda Sipps, a student at Jourdanton Junior High School, died in the hospital on Aug. 12. Her mother, the sheriff's office noted, called 911 for help, but only after the preteen went into respiratory distress.
Miranda Sipps was injured during the evening of Thursday, Aug. 8, but no details were given regarding those injuries, police said.
Sipps’ mother, Denise Balbaneda, and stepfather, 40-year-old Gerald Gonzalez, were arrested for failing to seek medical help sooner for the girl, as she was “mentally and physically incapacitated and non-responsive” the four days prior, according to law enforcement officials.
Sheriff David Soward said the pair initially failed to contact police because they didn’t want to draw attention to the girl’s condition. He also stated the pre-teen did not have any broken bones, but he did not disclose further details about Miranda’s injuries or their cause.
Buchanan was transported to the hospital, where she would die from her injuries.
Officers met the mother on the road as she was on the way to the hospital with her daughter on Monday night. EMS rushed Miranda to Methodist Hospital and medical staff worked “vigorously” to treat Miranda, but they could not save her life, according to police.
An investigation was launched and detectives determined Miranda suffered “serious life-threatening” injuries the evening of Aug. 8.
Sipps' parents allegedly fed her smoothies and vitamins as an at-home remedy, police said.
Before the girl died, Soward said the mother and stepfather fed the girl smoothies and vitamins even though she wasn’t responsive, My San Antonio reported.
Soward suggested the parents also might have tried to give the girl oxygen at some point.
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Miranda's mother, Denise Balbaneda, and stepfather, Gerald Gonzalez, were both arrested and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission.
He said: “Basically they thought they could nurse her back to health and we do not think they wanted the attention that this would draw if the little girl was injured. Which is strangely ironic, but that was their line of thinking.”
During that four-day period, Soward said the girl could only “flutter her eyes and move her hands a little bit”.
Authorities claimed while the mother did make the 911 call from their home, she ended up leaving with the child before authorities arrived because she didn’t want police inside the house.
On Aug. 13, Balbaneda and Gonzalez were arrested and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission, which is a first-degree felony.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing while they await the final autopsy report.
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