Parents Face Child Abuse Charges After 11-Year-Old Girl Found Dead With Severe Injuries

A California couple is facing abuse and torture charges after an investigation revealed that their 11-year-old daughter, who died at their home last month, had severe injuries all over her body.

In the early morning hours of March 23, Crystal and Rene Diaz, the girl’s stepmother and father, called 911 to inform that the child was found unresponsive in the master bedroom. Police and emergency personnel arrived at the home and declared the girl, identified as Annai, dead. The body was sent for an autopsy, MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station KRON TV reported.

According to the court documents released Tuesday, the exact cause of death was not known, however, severe injuries, including burns, were found all over the fifth grader’s body. Investigation revealed that the abuse had been taking place since November 2020.

The parents abused her with "intent to cause cruel and extreme pain and suffering for the purpose of revenge, extortion, persuasion and for a sadistic purpose," the court documents stated, The Mercury News reported.

Following an investigation, the parents were taken into custody Tuesday and charged with torture, mayhem and four counts of child abuse. The accused currently don’t face any murder charges related to the case.

“The extent of her injuries on her body were tremendous shocking and help support the charges the defendants are charged with,” said Derek Butts, Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney, NBC Bay Area reported.

Butts added that things may have been different if the victim has been going to school in person.

"Perhaps if the child has been attending school in person her injuries would have been discovered or the abuse deterred. No little child deserves that, none, nobody," he said.

Meanwhile, describing the scene outside the Diaz family’s residence on the day of the girl’s death, neighbor Allen Jones told NBC Bay Area, "It was 3 a.m. I woke up to go to the bathroom and the whole front of the yard looks like a UFO out there, lights and everything."

Speaking about the charges, he said, "I would let me get a hold of the mom and dad and let them see how it feels to be tortured you don’t torture little kids, you don’t touch little kids."

The accused are currently being held in a Contra Costa County jail with their bail set at $1.4 million each.