Read the tragic story of boy, 5, castrated by his own mother when he was five weeks old

Five years ago, five-week-old Holden Gothia was sleeping inside the suburban Houston apartment he shared with his parents when he was castrated by his own mother who was high on drugs.

Katherine Nadal claimed the family dog tore off her son’s genitals but a jury found her guilty and she was sentenced to 99 years in prison in August 2009.

Doctors said Holden faced years of surgeries and counselling but, today, the boy acts like a typical five-year-old, playing football, singing and running around with his older brothers.

Tragedy: Holden Gothia was sleeping inside the suburban Houston apartment he shared with his parents when he was castrated by his own mother who was high on drugs

He has had a number of medical issues and has undergone surgery on his left foot after his mother's attack left him with a severed artery, but, for now, Holden is unaware of the true extent of his injuries.

‘I think in his mind, genitals are something he gets when he gets older and the response to that comment is, “you're exactly right, you will, when you're older,” which is not untrue,’ Patches DeShazo, his paternal aunt and legal guardian, told Fox News.

‘The physical part can be fixed, it's the emotional part that I do worry about the most,’ she added.

To raise money for Holden’s future reconstructive surgery and his growing medical expenses, the ‘Heroes for Holden Foundation’ held a benefit concert on June 10. 

Last year, the same gig raised more than $240,000.
Holden, who played the drums at the event, was excited about the party, even though he did not know why it was being held.

The boy lost half the blood in his nine pound body during the mutilation but his severed body parts were never found.

Active: The boy acts like a typical five-year-old, playing sports, singing and running around with his older brothers

[He has] a lot of scar tissue, he looks as though he's been severely burned in the genital area, so it's that type of scar tissue,' DeShazo said.

Authorities say his mother, who had prior drug arrests, tested positive for cocaine, methadone and Xanax after the attack.

After Nadal's sentence was announced, DeShazo read a victim impact statement in the courtroom.

'I am thankful by the time you are eligible for parole you will be beyond childbearing years. It makes me crazy to this very day to hear you say I did not hurt him,' DeShazo said, according to the Associated Press.

Her remarks prompted Nadal to yell back from the table where she sat with her defense attorneys: 'I failed him. I did not hurt him.'

The boy's father, Camden Gothia, who has regular contact with his son, then stood up and yelled to Nadal: 'You abused him when he was in the womb,' a reference to Nadal having taken drugs when she was pregnant with Holden.

Recovery: Holden pictured with Patches DeShazo, his paternal aunt and legal guardian, above, and after surgery on his left foot,below

Jailed: Authorities said Katherine Nadal, who is pictured during a probable cause hearing above, tested positive for cocaine, methadone and Xanax after the attack