Here’s a story that’s about as disturbing as it gets. Police in Phoenix have arrested four adults in connection with the July 12 death of Ame Deal, a 10-year-old girl who was found dead inside of a plastic container.
Family members initially told police that Ame and other children in the house had been playing hide and seek, and they thought that Ame must have climbed into the box to hide.
Detectives, though, say the girl was put into the box as punishment for stealing a popsicle. The other kids in the home were told to lie to police about Ame’s death.
Little Ame was allegedly forced into the box, padlocked in, and then the family went to sleep. Little Ame suffocated soon afterward.
Acting Phoenix Police Chief Joe Yahner says, “This truly is a tragedy…this is a bothersome crime.”
“This child died at the hands of those who were supposed to love and care for her…this case has turned the stomachs of some of our most seasoned detectives,” added Police spokesperson Sgt. Trent Crump.
John and Samantha Allen, both 23, were arrested, along with 62-year-old Judith Deal and 44-year-old Cynthia Stoltzmann. The Allens are Ame’s cousins, and were babysitting her at the time.
The Allens have been charged with first degree murder and Stoltzmann, Ame’s aunt, and Deal, Ame’s grandmother, were booked on child abuse and kidnapping.
“I firmly believe that John Allen deserves to burn in hell. What he did was wrong, you don’t do stuff like that to kids,” says family member Amanda Stoltzmann.
“This child was forced to do a backbend, with her feet on the floor and her palms on the floor, for several hours. Prior to dragging the chest inside herself, standing by looking at the chest, and then forced into the chest, leaving marks on her knees where the lid was slammed shut,” said Crump.
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