A New Mexico mother was arraigned this week on child abuse charges and allegations that she and her husband sexually assaulted their 16-year-old daughter and her siblings while “living outside, year-round” on a 35-acre plot of land with “underground caves” and “filthy conditions,” according to prosecutors.
Valerie Cordell, 41, of Deming, pleaded not guilty on Monday at her arraignment in Luna County, according to online court records. She was charged with 16 counts of child abuse, one count of criminal sexual penetration, and one count of conspiracy to commit child abuse after being arrested in February.
Prosecutors allege that Valerie Cordell and her husband, Melvin Cordell, 50, abused their daughter together and forced her to engage in sexual acts with her siblings in front of other adults.
“During the 4-month investigation, agents learned that the family of 9 was living on a 35-acre site, located in a semirural portion of Luna County, near Deming,” the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said in a press release announcing charges.
“Investigating officers described it as an inhumane, squalid scene,” the prosecutor’s office claimed. “A dilapidated trailer, several unlivable camping trailers, broken-down vehicles, boxes of rotting food, bags of trash, along with buckets located all around the property filled with human feces.”
Authorities say they became aware of what was going on in October 2024 and launched an investigation after New Mexico State Police were tipped off about criminal sexual acts allegedly occurring at 225 Opatah Road in Luna County, where the family resided. According to the DA’s office, the couple has seven children ranging in age from 6 months to 16 years old, all of whom are currently in state protective custody.
“Authorities were originally alerted about a child who was sexually assaulted since she was 13, over the course of 4 years by her father,” according to the department. “The children were found in filthy conditions, they lived outside, year-round, sleeping on a mattress in a semi-underground cave, with tunnels from 4 to 6 feet in length or took shelter in the broken-down vehicles.”
According to local CBS and Fox affiliate KRQE, the 16-year-old victim allegedly told police that she had previously become pregnant at least twice. According to KRQE, one of the pregnancies occurred when she was 14 years old, and the other occurred after she turned 16.
According to KRQE, prosecutors described the Cordell compound as resembling a “city trash landfill,” with trash and rotting food piled everywhere, as well as “underground caves” with tunnels. The desert was also allegedly littered with broken-down campers and cars.
Melvin Cordell is scheduled to be arraigned on May 5.