Suspect in girl's murder shocks his own family

PHOENIX - A mother is speaking out as her son is accused of first-degree murder and of being a participant in a long series of torturous abuse that led to the death of a young Phoenix girl earlier this month.

Mary Jo Allen issued a statement Friday after her son, 23-year old John Allen, and his wife Samantha were arrested for the death of 10-year-old Ame Deal.

Ame was found dead on July 12 in a foot locker-type chest at her home near 37th Avenue and Broadway Road.

John and his wife, who lived at the house with several other adults and children, are accused of forcing the girl into the box and padlocking it shut before going to bed. It was reportedly a punishment for stealing a popsicle.

The girl's aunt, Cynthia Stoltzmann, and grandmother, 62-year old Judith Deal, are facing charges of child abuse.

Police say all four participated in extreme acts of abuse over at least a year that included locking the girl in the box on several occasions, beating her with a board, and forcing her to eat hot sauce and dog feces.

The family originally told police that the girl was playing hide and seek and that she somehow got in the box and accidently suffocated.

Police say the Allens are distant relatives of the girl and they all used to live in Ogden, Utah.

Allen's mother released the following statement Friday.

"First we want to express our deep sorrow in the death of Ame Deal. She was a sweet and wonderful young spirit and we will miss her dearly. My husband and I were shocked along with everyone else at the deplorable conditions of the home in Arizona where all of these children were confined to live. That our son, John Michael, would have been a resident, let alone a contributor to the environment that was created there is beyond our comprehension. We have always taught our children to live a life of morals and cleanliness beyond reproach: that conditions there in Phoenix deteriorated to the point that a child died is deeply troubling.

While John Michael was living with his family in Ogden, we saw no evidence of abuse, or that John Michael would have been capable of contributing to an abusive environment. Since moving to Arizona, John Michael was becoming increasingly isolated from us, and although we did have contact, the actual conditions of their life were well concealed from us.

Since the death of Ame, we have not been kept informed by the Phoenix Police as to the nature of their investigations, nor of their conclusions. We have no knowledge or facts to add to the public statements by the Police.

We have encouraged our son to cooperate with the authorities: being truthful in all things is a core value of our family, and we hope and pray that he will do everything, no matter how difficult, to help reach the truth of how this tragic event came about.

We want to thank those that have prayed for our family. We thank our family and neighbors that are supporting us. We view every child as precious and hope everyone will be vigilant in watching over all of our children."

There were 12 children taken into CPS custody following the arrests.  Police say they lived at the home and another relative's home nearby at various times.

Child psychologist Dr. Lynn Kenney said it is disturbing what they may have witnessed.

"The guilt is going to be enormous, " she said. "If they witnessed the abuse and participated in it.  They are going to be in trauma recovery."

Court documents and police accounts indicate the other children were treated differentlly and they would do things to get Ame in trouble. They even participated in the adults' lie to police that Ame died during a hide and seek game.

"When you experience abuse your brain works differently," Kenney said. Kenney said she is hopeful that they can recover from the life they lived and gain a new sense of "normal."

Police have not released additional information in the investigation but said additional charges are likely.