Authorities arrested Jose and Jennifer Carrillo on Sept. 17 after an investigation into alleged abuse of their two daughters in Peoria, Arizona. The probe began when a neighbor found a 9-year-old who had jumped from a balcony to escape being locked outside in roughly 104°F heat for hours as punishment. Medical exams found the younger child severely underweight and with bruises and ligature marks; a forensic exam reportedly found similar injuries on the 12-year-old. The parents face multiple child abuse charges; the children are now in foster care.
Arizona Parents Arrested After 9-Year-Old Says She Was Locked Outside In 104°F Heat; Children Reportedly Malnourished
Jose Carrillo Ayala and Jennifer Carrillo's mug shotsCredit: Maricopa County Sheriff's Office)
An Arizona couple faces multiple child abuse charges after investigators say two young daughters were repeatedly mistreated, including an incident in which a 9-year-old was allegedly left outside in extreme heat for hours as punishment.
Allegations and Investigation
Authorities arrested 49-year-old Jose Carrillo Ayala and 50-year-old Jennifer Carrillo on Sept. 17 on several counts of child abuse, following an investigation prompted by an incident earlier this year. Police say the probe began when a downstairs neighbor in a Peoria apartment complex found the couple’s 9-year-old hiding beneath a patio bench after she reportedly jumped over a balcony wall to escape being locked outside.
Jennifer Carrillo's mug shotCredit: Maricopa County Sheriff's Office)
What the Child Reported
The younger girl told officers she had been left outdoors for roughly four hours without food or water as punishment for holding a book “incorrectly.” Temperatures reportedly reached about 104°F that day, and she said she only climbed back when she became extremely hungry and thirsty. Both sisters — ages 9 and 12 — told investigators their mother routinely forced them outside as a form of punishment.
Medical Findings
After the June incident the 9-year-old was hospitalized. Medical staff reported signs consistent with neglect and abuse: she weighed under 44 pounds, appeared malnourished, had underdeveloped teeth and hair loss, and sustained multiple bruises and injuries consistent with being struck by an object. Examiners also documented ligature marks on one ankle.
Jose Carrillo Ayala's mug shotCredit: Maricopa County Sheriff's Office)
A forensic medical exam of the 12-year-old reportedly found similar injuries.
Additional Allegations
Court documents and police accounts allege the parents forced the children to sit on plastic lids for long periods, producing pressure wounds and bruises, and at times withheld water. Investigators say a shoelace was tied around the younger girl’s ankle and attached to a door to prevent her from getting to the kitchen. Prosecutors also say the girls’ father admitted to striking both children with a belt.
Police lights (stock image)Credit: Getty
“All of this came to light when the 9-year-old had to jump off a second-story balcony because she had been there for too long,” a representative for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said during the couple’s first court appearance, adding that there were concerns of torture.
Charges, Custody And Next Steps
Jose and Jennifer Carrillo were each charged with two counts of child abuse; Jennifer faces an additional count of unlawful imprisonment. Both were ordered held on bonds set at $50,000 and have been barred from contacting the children, who are currently placed in foster care. The investigation remains active and prosecutors will determine next steps in the case.
Resources
If you suspect child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free, confidential and available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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