The Misery Machine - The Case of Massail and Mirena Vega

Starting point is 00:00:00 For many families, the birth of twins is something incredibly special. You get to watch them both reach milestones together and form an unbreakable bond. But what does it mean when their parents not only won't let family help out or babysit the twins, but won't let anyone else in the family simply see them? These two babies are isolated with nobody to advocate for them and left at the mercy of their parents who seem to prioritize partying over their children. For Maseil and Morena Vega, they were denied all chances at life. didn't even get to know more than five weeks on this earth. It's cases like these that often

Starting point is 00:00:34 don't make the headlines, and these are the cases that should because unlike many high-profile murders, they are often completely preventable. It takes the knowledge from everyday people to know what to look for and with the confidence to say something when they see something. Today we spoke to the twins' great-aunt who is trying her best to make sure these two girls are never forgotten. Her parents are brought to justice. Angelina Belinda Calderon was born on October 4th, 2002, and was affectionately called Lena by her loved ones. According to her aunt Sarah, the Calderon family was and still is incredibly dysfunctional. As she put it, there was always something going on among the family members that barred any positive relationships or sentiments.

Starting point is 00:01:20 Angelina's aunts and grandmother had a step in to help raise her. According to Sarah, Angelina had two sides to her. She could be a sweet, caring child who wanted to be a sweet, who wanted to please everyone. Then a few seconds later, she would steal something of yours and lie to your face. According to Sarah, Angelina's mother constantly chose toxic romantic relationships

Starting point is 00:01:41 over her parental responsibilities, as allegedly many of the women in the Calderon family did. There is even an instance where it extended to just men in general. Angelina's great uncle had a history of essay with his younger family members. Sarah said she was one of his victims

Starting point is 00:01:58 when she was 12. She told her mother and the family did nothing about it. A decade later, he did the same thing to Angelina. And again, the family did nothing about it. Her mom even accused her of lying. When Angelina was about 10, her mother punched her. For this, Angelina's mother was arrested in charge with injuring a child. In her teenage years, Angelina used drugs and partied. She also had run-ins with the law and was on probation at least once. As a result of her irresponsible behavior and dangerous habits, Angelina was kicked out of the public school system and was sent to an alternative school meant for troubled teens.

Starting point is 00:02:38 This is where she met Fernando Vega. Fernando Vega was born on June 7, 2002. Like the Calderones, his family was dysfunctional as well. Been at a young age, Fernando was irresponsible, short-tempered, and concerned with his own needs and wants over everyone else's. You first met him, he was nice and cool-tempered, but that was a persona and nothing more than a mask. The young couple's ideas of dates were going on carjackings and scamming people online, like a pair of wannabe Bonnie and Clyde imitators.

Starting point is 00:03:10 Their romance moved alarmingly fast, and Angelina moved out to live with the Vega family with her grandmother's blessing. As Sarah put it, And so when she was 16, I think it was she was, yeah, she was 16 when she met him. I found out that my mom let her live with him and I couldn't believe it. I was like, how are you going to let, you know, because my mom took responsibility for Angelina since she was a baby.

Starting point is 00:03:31 So I was like, how are you going to let, you know, she's only 16 and you're letting her live with a guy? Of course she was going to end up pregnant. She did, but before we get into that, we need to first discuss the death of Gabe Fernandez. In January of 2019, a 13-year-old boy named Gabe Fernandez was shot and killed on the Vega family's property.

Starting point is 00:03:52 Gabe and his brother Nick were friends with Fernando's younger brother. They lived nearby so they could walk to each other's houses if they wanted to. The boys visited the Vega home and their mother, Jennifer Valdez, stayed behind. Not long after they left, Jennifer answered a phone call. Nick, frightened and frantic, was on the other line. He said, Gabe is dead, mom. He got shot in the head. The boys were in the backyard shed when they got their hands on a loaded gun.

Starting point is 00:04:20 while in Fernando's brother's hands, the firearm discharged. Gabe was still alive when Jennifer got to the Vega house. She told the local news that she saw him gasping for air. A neighbor who heard the gunshots performed CPR on the 13-year-old. Jennifer took over while waiting for the paramedic, she said, I'm a nurse, I'm helping with compressions, holding his head. I could feel his heart. I could feel his pulse.

Starting point is 00:04:46 I could feel him. An ambulance came to take Gabe to the hospital. Jennifer was at his side as he passed away while En route. Tell me he was gone. A home that used to be filled with the laughter of 13-year-old Gabe Fernandez is now filled with the cries of his mother. No, I don't know. The teen lost his life over the weekend in a senseless accident involving a gun. His mother says Gabe went to a friend's house on Saturday afternoon just around the corner with his older brother.

Starting point is 00:05:19 The two had only been gone for a few minutes when she received a horrific phone call. from her older son. Nick was screaming and crying that gave his dad, gave his dad mom. He got shot in the head and he's dead. Jennifer, who was a nurse, frantically drove to the home and found her son with a gunshot wound to the head. She immediately began trying to help.

Starting point is 00:05:42 My baby was still breathing and I could see him gaspene. I could see him gaspene. According to Houston police, a group of five minors were present when one of them was handling a loaded gun when the weapon accidentally went. off, striking Gabe. Where the weapon came from is still under investigation. I wish they would have told me that they had it there. And I would have went to their mom and told him something, you know, don't hide it. Don't think it's cool. It's not cool.

Starting point is 00:06:06 Fernando's brother called Jennifer the next morning crying. He apologized for Gabe's death and said he didn't know the gun was loaded. Jennifer said, now he'll have to live the rest of his life knowing he killed his best friend. I feel remorse for him too. He's a baby too. Sarah told us that Fernando and Angelina were present during this horrific incident. According to Sarah, Angelina loaded the firearm and Fernando put it in his younger brother's hands. Since they were older teenagers, she expected they would have to shoulder some of the responsibility, but ultimately nothing came of it. If they had felt any sense of guilt, they certainly didn't show it.

Starting point is 00:06:46 Angelina even badmouthed Jennifer in front of her on. Sarah tried to reason with her niece, but it went in one ear, and out the other. Jennifer suspected one of the older kids may have owned it, but the police did not make any public statements about the source of the gun. Fernando and Angelina's relationship was on and off and incredibly turbulent. Fernando cheated on Angelina often. She would return home to her family during their many rough periods, but when the couple reconciled, she went back to living with him. Angelina first got pregnant at 17 years old. After their first baby, it seemed to Sarah, that Angelina and Fernando were trying to get their act together for the

Starting point is 00:07:24 sake of the child, but it didn't last long, and very soon they were back to their old ways again. In December of 2020, Fernando was arrested for possessing prescription-only narcotics and for carrying a handgun in a motor vehicle. His bond was only $100. The handgun possession charges were dismissed in March of 2021, and the drug charges in January of 2022. Was this the weapon that took Gabe Fernandez's life. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. We don't know and possibly we'll never know if no one speaks out. In September of 2022, only two months after their second child was born, Fernando and Angelina were driving together with their kids in the backseat. He attacked her and she made a run for it to a nearby restaurant. She begged someone to call the police for her,

Starting point is 00:08:13 but nobody did. Instead, she ran the rest of the way home. She got there, Fernando choked her out in front of their oldest son who was only two years old at the time. Again, like, I already just started not liking this guy because he was always cheating on her, treating her stupid, and she always put up with it, which was ridiculous. But he was beating her up. She ran to like a, what is it, like a hot wings place, or like one of those wing place restaurants.

Starting point is 00:08:40 She ran in, they even have footage of it, and nobody helped her. She ran back to the apartment. And he's literally choking her while their son, who was two, I think, at the time. is crying, laying on top of her, and he would have literally killed her if the cops didn't get there when they did. Angelina managed to call the police, and Fernando was arrested for assaulting a family member and for strangulation. These charges were later dropped, and his case was dismissed in March of 2023 for insufficient evidence of defendant's guilt.

Starting point is 00:09:11 According to Sarah, it wasn't the first time Fernando had gotten physical with Angelina, but not long after this incident, they had gotten back together. She kept this from some of her family members, including her aunt. One day, Sarah bought a pregnancy test for Angelina. Now, mind you, during her second pregnancy, Angelina had preeclampsia and needed a blood transfusion. Her doctors advised her that getting pregnant again could be dangerous for her, so when the test was positive, she was shocked. Angelina lied to her aunt at first, claiming someone else had gotten her pregnant. Sarah believed her until one of Angelina's sisters slipped up and revealed the truth, much to her

Starting point is 00:09:48 disappointment. She had hoped that Fernando's arrest would have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, but when they got back together, the family welcomed him with open arms. Sarah tried voicing her concerns. She was accused of trying to stir up drama within the family and told the shut up. Upon learning of Angelina's pregnancy, Fernando wanted her to terminate, as did the whole rest of his family. Angelina ultimately decided not to. Since she was carrying twins, she was considered high risk. Sarah noted that Angelina didn't seem very happy during her pregnancy. She felt that soon after making her choice to not terminate,

Starting point is 00:10:27 Angelina realized she didn't really want to keep the babies, but Angelina didn't directly voice these new concerns or desires. Fatherhood didn't fix Fernando's infidelity either. Not only was he still a serial cheater, but he spent upwards to $2,000 on sex workers. Angelina temporarily moved in with Sarah when she found this out. Fernando laughed as she cried and packed her things, but a short time later, she returned to him. Angelina continued to work throughout her pregnancy and sold her belongings when she needed to,

Starting point is 00:10:59 all while attending classes at Houston Community College. No doubt, this added to her unhappiness, but she was still willfully ignorant to the greater picture. Sarah doesn't know if Angelina drank or used drugs while carrying Missal and Moraine. but she does know for a fact that the couple were doing stuff after the twins were born. She believed Fernando likely used during Angelina's pregnancy because, in her words, he never stopped. Sarah said that when Maseel and Moreno were born in 2024, they were healthy, quiet, and typical. There weren't any health concerns or complications during labor, and they each weighed about six pounds. Angelina and Fernando didn't buy car seats for the twins, so the family pooled money together so they could get them.

Starting point is 00:11:42 Sarah only met her grandnieces in the hospital. According to Sarah, Angelina did not want to hold her babies. It took convincing from Sarah to get her to nurse one of her newborns. Aside from that, Angelina didn't pay them any attention. According to Sarah, the Vega home had an in-law suite where Fernando and Angelina lived. The two newborns spent most of their time in a small cramp space. Now, let's just say that this place was a common spot for the kinds of gatherings where the children definitely shouldn't be allowed.

Starting point is 00:12:14 Angelina Fernando chose this environment to raise their children in. Kind of find out like that house is like a party house. Like everybody, even the grandma parties. Aside from Angelina and Fernando, only Fernando's mother and his grandparents interacted with the twins when they left the hospital. Angelina's family asked often if they could visit

Starting point is 00:12:32 or offered to help babysit, but Angelina never let them do so. She didn't even let them see the twins over FaceTime. Salem and Morena were completely isolated. She wouldn't even let us FaceTime with them. I know that they went out, man, they went out when the babies weren't even like a week old.

Starting point is 00:12:51 They went out and they left them with his mom who I've heard nothing but bad things about. And I was like, why wouldn't they ask one of us? Like that's weird. Like, you know, because her side, like our side is more about helping with the little ones or we're more like with, in terms. with Angelina and like doing more on that side of it, you know.

Starting point is 00:13:16 So that was weird. On October 4th, 2023, Angelina's 21st birthday, Fernando drove her to work. He would later state that his grandmother kept an eye on the babies while they were gone. A half an hour later, Fernando arrived home and went into the nursery. Massale and Morena were laying unresponsive in their crib. Fernando called 911 to report that his newborn twins were not breathing. The dispatcher gave him and another family member step-by-step directions for infant CPR, but it was too little, too late for the twins. Emergency services were dispatched

Starting point is 00:13:54 to the Vega home where they would try their best to help. The twins were removed from their crib to the couch, but there was nothing anyone could do. At only five weeks old, they were pronounced dead at 11.15 a.m. Angelina returned home in both sides of the family trip, trickled in to offer their support. Paramedics and police were still swarming the property. In Sarah, Fernando didn't show any signs that he was upset. Sarah recounted, the couple said Massala Morana never acted like normal babies, which they didn't elaborate on what that meant. Fernando told her that the night before, as he was putting the twins to bed, he saw a discoloration on their skin. Sarah immediately thought bruises. She doubted Fernando was telling her the whole truth

Starting point is 00:14:38 because she never knew him to be fatherly to his children. She knew from the get-go he was keeping something from everyone and possibly Angelina as well. Sarah and her sister spoke to Angelina and asked about the previous night. Gene Fernando had a party earlier in the day to celebrate her birthday since she had to work the following morning. Salem-Marena were crying at some point and Fernando told her to get some sleep that he would take care of it. She knew this was out of character for her boyfriend, but she chose to stay behind.

Starting point is 00:15:06 It's a little unclear what the officers first impressions were. Some sources say they didn't suspect foul play, and others report the twins were visibly underweight and bruised. It's possible they thought the bruises were from CPR. They were also premature, which they learned from the family could explain their small size. Except Sarah said that this was a lie. Twins were not born premature. They were born healthy, on time, and with no complications during the labor. Sarah theorizes that somebody lied to the officers in the press. She thinks, possibly Angelina, or Angelina's mother.

Starting point is 00:15:40 When all that happened, that my mom and them were like, especially my mom, oh, you don't think the hospital? What? The hospital? What? Like trying to put the blame on the hospital? No. Or that the babies, something happened with them being, no, nothing happened during the labor

Starting point is 00:15:55 and everything. Maybe they thought that calling the baby's premature would make their malnourishment seem less severe. They were so small just because they were small and not because they were denied the nutrients they needed to grow. Sarah recounted, Angelina hadn't put on any weight at all during her pregnancy. Thankfully, all deaths of infants have to be thoroughly investigated per Texas police protocol, and both mother and father were questioned.

Starting point is 00:16:21 Fernando said in his interviews that the two babies were fussy the night before when he put them to bed. Angelina said she saw them as she was leaving for work, but that she didn't want to wake them. A week after her twins died, Angelina started a go-fund me to help fund her girls' funerals. News sources such as ABC 7 took screenshots before the fundraiser was taken offline. Angelina titled the fundraiser, Eminem Babies, and wrote in the description, My family is suffering from the sudden and unexpected passing of our beloved newborn babies. On the morning of October 4, 2023, our precious angels were found unresponsive when going to wake them up for the day. All donations are going to ceremonial cost and to help ensure a proper burial,

Starting point is 00:17:07 any donation graciously made are greatly appreciated. If you are unable to contribute money at this time, a share with your family and friends would mean the world to our family as well. Out of the $10,000 goal, she raised $1,207. However, an autopsy determined the cause of death for the twin girls was blunt-forced trauma. The medical examiners observed bruising, abrasions, contusions, dehydration, laceration, fractures in patiquia. According to Sarah, some of these injuries were older, and they didn't just happen while

Starting point is 00:17:41 Angelina was at work. When Sarah took a look at the twins' x-rays for herself, she knew there was no way she could ever forgive Angelina and Fernando. She first put the majority of the blame on Fernando until she learned about the twins' malnourishment and dehydration. She didn't and still doesn't understand how or why a mother would let her newborn starve to death. As the investigation continued, police found the infants never received any of the infants never received

Starting point is 00:18:05 any follow-up medical care after they were born. Angelina admitted they were sick once, but she and Fernando opted to keep them home rather than having them visit a pediatrician. Fernando was arrested in early April of 2024, not for the death of his children, but for unlawful restraint against Angelina. Court records indicated that she tried to leave the property and he forced her back inside, locking her in the bedroom. Or into the court records, Fernando Vega did then and there unlawfully, intentionally, and knowingly restrain Angelina Calder. own by force, so as to interfere substantially with her liberty by moving her from outside her apartment to inside her room by wrapping his arms around her body and picking her up and confining

Starting point is 00:18:46 her inside her apartment room. Fernando and Angelina weren't arrested for their baby's deaths until April 19th, 24. They were charged with injury to a child causing bodily injury, injury to a child by omission, and injury to a child by commission. In Texas law, omission. In Texas law, omission. Commission is neglect or a failure to act, and commission is committing an act. Fernando's unlawful restraint charges were dismissed at the end of May. Angelina's family defended her publicly. They tried shifting the blame to the hospital or possible health issues or to Fernando. Angelina's sister said, she's one of the best mothers that I know, and I don't know what he,

Starting point is 00:19:29 Fernando, did to them. Her grandmother said, we know in our hearts that she's innocent. If it isn't clear already, her aunt Sarah has a different perspective. She doesn't believe Angelina was physically violent with her babies. It said the young mother should be held responsible for any evidence of mistreatment or neglect. She said, I don't care if your blood or whatever. Like these babies didn't deserve to go through what they went through. She also said, I'm sure he did one more thing, right, but the injuries, weeks old, some of them.

Starting point is 00:19:58 So what are you going to say about that? It's not just that one time. And what are you going to say about them being malnouric? and dehydrated. The twins were definitely loved. It was hard when they passed away. I couldn't believe it. I can't stop thinking about what they went through. Angelina and Fernando were in the room together during their bond hearings. Their bond condition said neither of them could be in charge of a child 17 years old or younger, including their own children. As there are two victims in this case, Fernando and Angelina are facing separate charges for each. Fernando has four total

Starting point is 00:20:34 charges against him. Two counts of injury to a child and two counts of capital murder for someone under 10 years old. The courts gave each of Fernando's four charges a $750,000 bond, totaling $3 million. He and his family have yet to pay it. Angelina faces two counts of injury to a child. Her bond was similarly high, but it was lowered to $100,000. During her bond hearing, her mother testified to her daughter's character, stating she has no prior criminal history. She's 21 years old. She has significant ties to the community. She's lived here her entire life. She's two children, ages two and three. She cares for an autistic son. She works as an electronic specialist, working over 90 hours a week. She's

Starting point is 00:21:22 currently enrolled at HCC, Euston Community College, where she's intended to graduate in June of this year in 2024. When it came time for Angelina to speak for herself, she said she was a good mother who attended therapy. Her legal representative gestured for her to quiet down when she interrupted the magistrate judge. During her second interruption, she shouted at the judge asserting that Fernando was the last person to be alone with their children. Since this was her second outburst, she was escorted from the room. Angelina's mother paid the bond in full. What Sarah tells us, Angelina drew the ire of some of her fellow inmates and was the target of beatings. Sarah wonders how she will handle federal prison. After the bond hearing, ABC 13 eyewitnesses,

Starting point is 00:22:12 news reporter Mia Shea knocked on the Calderon door and asked for a comment from the family. All Angelina's mother had to say was, it's all God's will and God will show us the light. She then shut the door on the reporter and the camera crew. We just want to know a little bit more about your daughter? Not right now. It's all God's will and God will show us a light. That's all I can say. What do you mean God will show us the light? What is it? Do you know Ms. Calderon? No comment. If y'all could leave the property, please.

Starting point is 00:22:39 But Angelina couldn't stay out of trouble for long. On March 18, 2025, Sarah sent us an email letting us know that Angelina was put back in jail for violating house arrest. According to Sarah, one of the places Angelina visited was a strip club. She told the court that she was just looking for a way to earn money to support her surviving children, which is a lie. Angelina doesn't even have custody of her children anymore. Sarah also shared with us that Angelina wants to remove herself from this earth because, and I quote, She still loves Fernando and can't bring herself to testify against him. The state is confident they have a case against Fernando.

Starting point is 00:23:21 Prosecutor Edward Applebaum told the press, these injuries are pretty severe and based on the symptoms and the injuries, he was the only person who was around these children, the only person who could have possibly inflicted these injuries. He also explained the state wanted enough evidence against Fernando to properly charge him, which is why it took some time to officially give him these charges. The Fernando's defense attorney, Mario Madrid, was just as confident, told the press, he's not guilty.

Starting point is 00:23:46 Under the law, he's innocent at this time. He still have a long investigation to go and a lot of evidence to review. He also tried to completely recharacterize his client to the press as shocked, scared, and young. And this is him, and I quote, he's a young person and obviously the allegations are extremely serious. At the same time, he's facing serious penalties. He seemed to be in shock. The moment was big for him, and with the court, I found him to be.

Starting point is 00:24:10 very respectful. But at the same time, he seemed to be a little scared, obviously, with the charges he's being faced with. Now, if you pay close enough attention to current events, you might recognize the name Mario Madrid. He is representing Johann Martinez Rangel, one of two men accused him murdering 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungeray in June of 2024. A decade ago, he also represented Victor Alice. This is a teenager convicted for his part in the, this is how it was described, ritualistic, satanic, kidnapping, essay, and murder, 15-year-old Corey and Servantes. Fernando and Angelina both pled not guilty. According to a journalist friend of Sarah's, Fernando and his lawyer plan on going for an insanity

Starting point is 00:24:53 defense. Of course, should Fernando be found not guilty by reason of insanity, he will still be carted away to a facility. From what Sarah has told us, Fernando's actions then were not driven by insanity. They were driven by entitlement, malice, and a lack of empathy. But it might be all Fernando has to get out of the death penalty. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, Texas has executed 586 convicted inmates between 1976 and 2023. Oklahoma is the closest runner-up with 123. In short, it does not look good for Fernando and Angelina. In Fernando's case, Not guilty by reason of insanity would at least keep him alive with room for potential appeals in the future. As always, Fernando and Angelina are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Starting point is 00:25:49 Sarah Calderon has broken off from her family. For so many years, she was called crazy for trying to call people out for their bad behavior. In her interview with us, she said, if you're able to make excuses for her or him from this, I'm done with y'all. She also said that her children have received messages from their grandparents, grandmother full of vague threats if Sarah ends up testifying against Angelina in court. If Sarah had any doubts about cutting her family off completely, then she certainly feels confident about it now. She's not the only one to go little to no contact, but she is the most vocal

Starting point is 00:26:22 in her disgust and the most willing to speak openly about her opinions in family history. Angelina and Fernando's other children are in the custody of Angelina's mother. The family is trying to get permission to let the children speak with her mother. We've already managed to let them speak with their father. To our listeners, if you suspect a child you know is being mistreated, remember that the CA hotline is put in the description of every one of our uploads. You could be the only person in that child's life that knows what is going on and is able to make that call. Finally, we would like to thank Sarah for trusting us with Masele and Morena's story. Thank you for speaking on behalf of these babies who cannot speak for themselves. We both wish you a peaceful

Starting point is 00:27:06 going forward, that you're able to heal from everything that has happened. But that's all I can, you know, say about it. And, you know, it sucks that I, you know, I was at a point where, like, I didn't want to speak on it because I felt like, oh, I don't want problems or drama. But, like, I distance myself. I don't care. Like, I want to, I want to be able to talk about the twins and what happened. especially what the main reason why I decided to even talk to the news when I did was because when they were talking to my family, all they ever talked about was how my niece was innocent. Never did I hear any of them talk about the twins.

Starting point is 00:27:53 And I just, like, not that I care about what people think, but I just wanted people to know that the twins were loved. And I just wanted one person in the family to at least, like, talk about them. just say that we did that there was family that cared about them.

The Misery Machine - The Case of Massail and Mirena Vega

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