A couple has been accused of physically abusing an 11-year-old girl under their care by punching, strangling, slapping, and dragging her on a dog lead. Priscilla Mestaz, 37, and Anthony Machuca, 36, were apprehended and charged with torture and multiple counts of child abuse after the authorities were alerted about the situation on January 31. The incident occurred in Salida, California, where the police found security camera footage that corroborated the girl’s allegations.
Subsequent investigations led to the identification of the couple as suspects. While Machuca was arrested promptly, Mestaz, who was pregnant, was taken into custody after giving birth on March 12. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a criminal complaint was filed on March 16, charging the pair with 27 felony and misdemeanor counts, including torture, child endangerment, assault with a deadly weapon, and criminal threats.
The abuse reportedly took place between January 2025 and January 2026, involving various forms of physical harm such as strangulation, punching, and slapping. Additionally, the couple allegedly made the girl sleep in an unheated garage without proper bedding, subjected her to verbal abuse, forced excessive physical exercise, and deprived her of adequate nutrition, resulting in malnourishment.
Local authorities also claimed that the girl was forced to stay in inhospitable conditions without proper amenities or insulation, exposing her to unsafe temperatures throughout the year. Mestaz and Machuca are currently in custody on a $1,000,000 bail. It was also revealed that Mestaz had worked as a child and family services case manager.
During the arrest, a newborn baby and a four-year-old child present at the residence were placed under protective custody by the authorities.