FLAGSTAFF — An Arizona mother pleaded guilty to murder and child abuse charges in the death of her 6-year-old son, who was locked in a closet and unfed.
The Arizona Daily Sun reported on Saturday that Elizabeth Archibeck agreed to a plea bargain with prosecutors this month.
Archibek is expected to be sentenced later this summer. The terms of the plea bargain stated that she would not be subject to probation and would not be eligible for parole or labor release of any kind if sentenced to life imprisonment.
She was indicted along with the boy’s father, Anthony Martinez, and grandmother, Anne Martinez. The cases were being tried separately.
An autopsy revealed that Deshawn Martinez died of starvation in March 2020. Authorities said the boy weighed just 18 pounds, well below average for his age.
The boy’s parents initially attributed his son’s malnutrition to a medical condition and the intake of diet pills and caffeine pills. They eventually told police they kept DeShawn and her brother in a closet for 16 hours a day and gave them very little food. brother survived.
Police said the boys’ confinement was punishment for stealing food while their parents were sleeping.
