Full Breakdown
Texas Mother Accused of Killing 3-Year-Old Daughter Captured in Mexico After Nearly 30 Years
8/12/2026, 10:24:56 PM
The Capture
Maria Narez, 48, was taken into custody in Mexico on a Saturday after a coordinated effort involving the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, Mexico Interpol, the U.S. Marshals Service’s Mexico Foreign Field Office, the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. Officials said she will be extradited to Texas to face the pending capital-murder charge.
Background of the Case
In November 1996, 19-year-old grocery-store clerk Maria Narez was accused of killing her three-year-old daughter, Kasandra L. White, in a Fort Worth apartment. According to Fort Worth Police Department Sergeant Fred Pendergraf, Narez allegedly shook the child, struck her with an unidentified object, and threw her against a wall, causing the child’s head to hit the door edge. An autopsy later determined the cause of death to be blunt-force trauma to the head.
A grand jury indicted Narez on a capital-murder charge in April 1997. The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office initially set bail at $500,000, but reduced it to $25,000 the following day. After the bond was forfeited, a warrant was issued, and Narez fled the United States, remaining a fugitive for almost three decades.
Legal Context and Potential Penalty
The capital-murder charge carries a possible sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or the death penalty under Texas law. If convicted, Narez would face one of the most severe punishments available in the state.
Official Statements & Responses
The same office credited Mexico Interpol, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for their roles in the capture.
Data & Statistics
- Defendant: Maria Narez, age 48
- Victim: Kasandra L. White, age 3
- Initial bail: $500,000 -> reduced to $25,000 (following day)
- Bond forfeiture: after initial bail reduction
- Warrant issuance: after bond forfeiture
- Time on the run: nearly 30 years
- Date of mother’s incarceration: November 13, 1996 (her mother was jailed after Narez took the unconscious child to a hospital)
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Public records do not disclose where Narez resided in Mexico or what activities occupied her during the three-decade fugitive period. Both the Fox News and Daily Mail accounts note the lack of detail, indicating a gap in the investigative record.
What’s Next
Mexican authorities are expected to transfer Narez to Texas, where she will appear before a Tarrant County court on the capital-murder indictment. The extradition process, overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice, will determine the timeline for her initial court appearance.
