Elizabeth Archibeck-Martinez (center) is pictured in the mugshot. Anthony Martinez (left inset) and Anne Martinez (right inset) are also in the headshot. (Flagstaff Police Department)
An Arizona mother intentionally fasted her 6-year-old son as punishment, ultimately causing his son’s death. Now she faces the prospect of spending the rest of her life in prison.
Elisabeth Archibeck Martinez, 26, reached an agreement with prosecutors earlier this month to plead guilty to first-degree murder and child abuse charges. Arizona Daily Sun report.
In March 2020, the tiny, lifeless body of DeShawn Martinez was found at the Martinez Mansion in Flagstaff, about two hours north of Phoenix. An autopsy by the Phoenix-based Coconino County coroner’s office revealed that the boy had starved to death and weighed 18 pounds at the time of his death. CBS-affiliated KPHO report. An autopsy revealed that the boy had very little fat and had a “skeletal appearance”.
A typical healthy weight for a 6-year-old in the United States would be significantly higher than 18 pounds. According to CDC data.
DeShawn Martinez’s body was also covered in cuts and abrasions.
Ultimately, Archibec Martinez, along with the boy’s father, Anthony José Archibec Martinez, 23, and grandmother, Anne-Marie Martinez, 50, were charged with felony first-degree murder and child abuse. were arrested on two counts each.
Initially, the boy’s parents reportedly told Flagstaff police that Deshawn Martinez’s extreme weight loss was due to a chronic illness, including caffeine and weight loss drugs. Associated Press report. But over time, investigators were able to surmise that an extreme punitive regime was in place at Martinez’s home.
The boy’s parents later admitted that they kept him and his brother in a closet for about 16 hours a day and gave them little food, police said. The parents allegedly admitted to police that such “discipline” methods had been practiced for “about a month.” The Daily Sun reported that it was enacted to punish boys for getting out of bed at night to eat food.
A 7-year-old boy was also found to be malnourished and was admitted to Flagstaff Medical Center. The boy is currently in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety along with his brothers, ages 4 and 2.
Other coverage of law and crime: ‘This kid simply starved to death’: Homeschool parent arrested after 10-year-old boy weighing 36 pounds found on way to grocery store
The cases against the deceased boy’s father and grandmother are being heard separately. In each case there are several delays.
The boy’s father, Archibec Martinez, and his grandmother, Originally planned to be tested together Prior to that, the original prosecutor in the case had to step down after being appointed as a judge. Later, another trial against the boy’s grandmother, who was also accused of kidnapping, suffered a setback when she was subjected to a last-minute psychiatric assessment. in July 2022.
The Sun reports that the defendant will be sentenced before Coconino County Superior Court Judge Ted Reed later this summer. According to the terms of her plea bargain, she is ineligible for probation and, if sentenced to life in prison, ineligible for parole or work release, so she could actually spend her entire life in prison. will be spent in
