The autopsy report of a 6-year-old boy who allegedly died from starvation revealed that he weighed just 18 pounds at the time of his death. The Flagstaff boy was locked up in a closet by his parents and was deprived of food. His weight was 'below average' for his age, according to the autopsy report.
His parents, Elizabeth Archibeque and Anthony Martinez, along with his grandmother Ann Martinez, have been charged with first-degree murder. They have also been charged with kidnapping and child abuse. The accused have pleaded not guilty.
The autopsy report listed Deshaun Martinez's death as a homicide, caused by starvation. Prosecutors will decide by July if they would seek capital punishment for the accused, reported the Sun. The three are being held on a $3 million bond.
Skeletal Appearance With No Fat
This little boy had a skeletal appearance as his skin was seen to be stretched over his bones, having almost no body fat, Flagstaff medical examiner Lawrence Czarnecki reported.
Police said that they responded to the Flagstaff apartment where Deshaun lived along with family, back in March, when they found him unresponsive. Initially, the family attributed Deshaun's malnourished state to a medical condition. They also said that he had stolen and consumed diet or caffeine pills.
Parents Punished Him
Eventually, his parents told police that they kept Deshaun in a closet for 16 hours a day with his older brother and gave them little to eat. The act was a punishment for the boys who allegedly stole food when the parents were asleep.
Deshaun had trouble gaining weight, his medical history showed. He was also hospitalized when he was two weeks old due to sepsis and a urinary tract infection which had resulted in fevers and vomiting on every feed.
The report said that his parents were counseled about keeping him at a healthy weight before he got discharged after a 10-day stay.
