HOUSTON — A Texas mother and her boyfriend have been charged for allegedly starving and beating her 8-year-old daughter to death in 2020.

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Soledad Mendoza, 29, and Ruben Moreno, 29, have both been charged with capital murder for the death of a child under the age of ten and two counts of injury to a child, according to documents obtained by KTRK.

KPRC-TV says on December 21, 2020, Houston Police were called out to a local hospital following the death of a child. The child was taken to the hospital with multiple injuries and had bruises. She died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Investigators also noticed she had swollen ankles and weighed only 29 pounds, which for her age meant she was very malnourished. The girl’s twin sister was also malnourished and had multiple injuries. She weighed only 26.4 pounds, according to KPRC-TV.

In documents obtained by KPRC-TV, the two girls also had two other siblings but they were in perfect health. The court documents also noted that Mendoza allegedly hit the twin that died with an object and then kicked her before hitting her with her hand. Moreno also allegedly hit the girl with a belt and shoe. He failed to provide any food for her. Mendoza and Moreno both share a child together, according to KPRC-TV. Moreno blamed the girls’ conditions on them when he was interviewed by investigators.

The three other kids were taken in by Child Protective Services, KPRC-TV says. Mendoza has been booked on recommended charges of capital murder and two counts of injury to a child. She is being held on a $3 million bond. Moreno has been booked on recommended charges of capital murder with bond denied and two counts of injury to a child on a $2 million bond.

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