Relatives charged in murder of 10-year-old found locked in box

The charges were filed Thursday, a day after Phoenix police arrested the four.

Police released a statement saying the four relatives of Ame Deal had been entrusted with caring for her. The arrest came after police said they learned that the family routinely confined her inside the box when she misbehaved.

John and Samantha Allen, both 23, were charged with first-degree murder after confessing they had locked Deal in the box July 12, the statement said.

Cynthia Stoltzmann, 44, and Judith Deal, 62, were charged with child abuse and kidnapping after both admitted they had locked the girl in the box on previous occasions, it added.

"I don't break down well in front of other people, but when I'm by myself, I can lose it real easy," Stoltzmann said. "She was an awesome hider, let me tell you. ... There were places she would squeeze into that I didn't think my dog could squeeze into."

But Crump said that, after investigating the incident, police came to believe the girl was killed.

Crump said Thursday that the case has troubled even veteran detectives.

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