Report: Six-Year-Old Flagstaff Boy Died Of Starvation After Being Locked In A Closet

A six-year-old Flagstaff boy, who passed away in March after he was locked in a closet for about a month, died of starvation according to an autopsy report obtained by the “Associated Press.” Officers responded to a home in the 31-hundred block of North Monte Vista Drive at around 12:39 p.m. back on March 2nd regarding an unresponsive boy. Officers immediately began life-saving efforts until medical personnel arrived. They were not able to resuscitate Deshaun Martinez and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The “Associated Press” reports that according to the report, Deshaun weighed 12 pounds at the time of his death. The parents admitted to police that the boy, and his seven-year-old brother, were kept in the bedroom closet for about a month and denied food at times. The brother also appeared to be malnourished. The parents, and their grandmother, admitted the boys were being punished for stealing food by sneaking out of the house while the parents slept. Twenty-three-year-old Anthony Jose Archiqebue-Martinez, 26-year-old Elizabeth Archibeque-Martinez and 50-year-old Anne Marie Martinez are facing first degree murder, child abuse and kidnapping charges. Prosecutors have until late July to decide whether or not they will seek the death penalty in the case. All three have pleaded not guilty.