Two sisters from Conroe, Texas, face federal charges of kidnapping and forced labor after allegedly holding a 12-year-old girl captive for six months, subjecting her to physical abuse and compelled manual labor, authorities announced this week.
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Texas returned a two-count indictment Feb. 9 against Tania Evette Garcia, 37, and Brenda Mariana Garcia, 39, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The charges stem from an investigation led by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations Houston field office in partnership with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecutors allege the abuse occurred between March and September 2025 at a rural home in Conroe.
Court documents describe the girl being repeatedly beaten — often to the point of visible bruising she concealed with makeup — restrained with zip ties, starved and forced to perform household chores and other labor under threats of further violence. Additional allegations include humiliation tactics, such as compelling the child to bark like a dog or crawl naked during punishments.
The victim escaped Sept. 28, 2025, running along a roadway in Splendora, Texas, still wearing a zip tie on her wrist, malnourished and injured. She is now safe and receiving medical care and support services.
The sisters were initially arrested in October 2025 on state charges, including injury to a child and unlawful restraint. The case was escalated and taken on by ICE HSI agents due to the forced labor elements, which fall under statutes enforced by the agency.
Each defendant faces up to life in federal prison if convicted, along with fines of up to $250,000 per count. Tania Evette Garcia appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo shortly after the indictment. Brenda Mariana Garcia, previously detained, remains in ICE custody pending trial.
“Harming children is unconscionable,” said ICE Deputy Director Charles Wall. “HSI is a global leader in protecting children and will remain vigilant to ensure those who victimize our most vulnerable face justice.”
