An Arizona mother has pleaded guilty to locking her six-year-old son in a closet and starving him to death.
In March 2020, Elizabeth Archibeque, along with the boy’s father, Anthony Martinez, and grandmother, Ann Martinez, were apprehended by police. The family’s home in Flagstaff, located roughly two hours north of Phoenix, became the site of unimaginable suffering for a young boy and his older brother.
According to police reports, the two siblings were confined to a closet for 16 hours daily for a month and were denied food during this period. The life of six-year-old Deshaun Martinez was cut short due to severe malnourishment and starvation, as confirmed by the subsequent autopsy.
The autopsy findings were deeply distressing, indicating that the young boy weighed 18 pounds at the time of his death—well below the average weight for his age. Deshaun’s parents attributed his malnourished state to a medical condition or taking pills. However, during questioning, they admitted they had kept their sons confined to a closet for the majority of the day and provided them with minimal sustenance. The older brother somehow managed to survive this ordeal.
The parents claimed that the boys’ confinement was a form of punishment for stealing food while they were asleep. Such an explanation only adds to the sense of outrage and disbelief this case has provoked.
Archibeque’s guilty plea has been entered and her sentencing will take place later this summer. The terms of the plea agreement stipulate that she will not be eligible for probation, even if she receives a life sentence.