Arizona couple kept 11-year-old daughter’s body in attic for over 2 years, cops say

By Crystal Bonvillian, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

PHOENIX — A Phoenix couple arrested last week on child abuse charges are accused of keeping the decomposing body of their adopted 11-year-old daughter in the attic of their home for more than two years.

Rafael Loera, 56, is charged with arson, as well as concealment of a body and multiple counts of child abuse, according to court records and the Phoenix Police Department. Maribel Loera, 50, faces charges of child abuse and concealment of a body.

The body is that of Ana Loera, also known as Charisma Marquez, according to what Rafael Loera told police. CBS 5 in Phoenix reported that the medical examiner is working to positively identify the child and determine her cause of death.

Police officials said that officers first went to the Loera home Jan. 20 after a different 11-year-old girl, identified by The Arizona Republic as the couple’s foster daughter, called 911 and reported that she was home alone and scared. Her parents and siblings were apparently out of town.

“She had been alone for two days and was hungry,” Phoenix police Sgt. Maggie Cox told CBS 5.

Court documents obtained by the news station and the Republic indicate the officers found the home filthy, “with what appeared to be human feces throughout the residence on the floors.” The girl also had “numerous abrasions, scars, healed burn scars, injuries to her back, buttocks, abdomen and chin.”

After the officers discovered evidence of abuse, the girl was removed by the Arizona Department of Child Safety, according to police officials. When detectives questioned her further, the child said Maribel Loera was physically abusive.

The girl said she was “struck on multiple occasions with knotted extension cords,” and that “Maribel had a bad temper and would strike her with miscellaneous objects while physically slamming her head into walls.” According to court documents, her injuries were consistent with her statements.

The girl also told police she had an older sister who had vanished about two years ago, the documents allege. She told investigators Maribel Loera told her “her sister was adopted and sent to Colombia,” CBS 5 reported.

Her father told her “her sister was adopted and sent to Mexico,” the court documents say.

DCS caseworkers learned the girl’s younger siblings were in the Loera home on Jan. 28 and returned, removing two additional children, ages 9 and 4, Cox said. While court records did not indicate if the 4-year-old girl had visible injuries, the 9-year-old boy reportedly had injuries “too numerous to count” covering his entire body.

The Republic reported that it was not yet clear if the two younger children are adopted or are foster children.