A Texas father returning home from work on Saturday found his 11-year-old daughter dead and under her bed.

Carmelo Gonzalez called 911 just after 3 p.m. and said his daughter, Maria Gonzalez, wasn’t breathing. Paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive her, and she was pronounced dead, KPRC reported.

“The medical examiner concluded that the cause of death was asphyxiation due to strangulation,” Pasadena Police said. “Additional investigation determined that the victim was sexually assaulted.”

Carmelo Gonzalez told police he left for work that morning, leaving Maria behind. He said they spoke on the phone during the day, and the last message he received from her was that someone was knocking on the door.

According to KTRK, that message came in shortly after he left for work at about 10 a.m. He said he sent family members, who live in the same complex, to the apartment to check on the girl, but they were unable to find her.

“At this point, the father’s alibi checks out, so he is, at this point, not considered a suspect in this investigation,” Pasadena Police Chief Josh Bruegger said, adding the father and daughter have been living at the apartment for three months. The mother lives in Guatemala.

Bruegger said detectives have collected DNA samples from some people who live in the apartment complex but said getting people to cooperate has been difficult.

Pasadena Police’s Violent Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Unit are investigating the case. If anyone has any information, they should call Detective M. Quintanilla at 713-475-7803 or Detective S. Mata at 713-475-7878.

For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.

[Featured image: Maria Gonzalez/handout]