Who are Rene and Crystal Diaz? California dad, stepmom tortured and beat 11-year-old girl for months before death
RODEO, CALIFORNIA: An 11-year-old girl who was suspected of stealing depression medication and drinking bleach by her father and stepmother was tortured to her death by them. Annai Diaz was found dead by the authorities in Rodeo, California, on March 23. The investigators who have been looking into the case have recently released some morbid details of the torture that the 11-year-old child faced in the hands of her father Rene Diaz and stepmother Crystal Diaz, prior to her death.
According to the newly released reports, Annai was reportedly tortured for months. She was burned with a three-pronged pitchfork, beaten with a wooden spoon, punched and kicked "at full strength". The minor's autopsy reports concluded that the burn marks present on her body were consistent with the shape of a barbecue fork.
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Who are Rene Diaz and Crystal Diaz?
Rene Diaz, 30, and his wife Crystal Diaz, 29, are currently in jail and awaiting their preliminary hearing, where a judge will be reviewing the evidence presented to decide if the charges against them are big enough to proceed to trial. Prosecutors are still contemplating on whether to file charges against Annai's death because her autopsy report hasn't been completed. According to Mercury News, if the Diazs are convicted of child abuse, torture, and mayhem, both Crystal and Rene could be serving a life sentence in prison.
The investigators revealed that the abuse against Annai began in October 2020. The child's parents told the police that they suspected their daughter of stealing depression medication, drinking bleach, and hand sanitizer in October.
So they reportedly decided to punish Annai by beating her with a wooden spoon, punching and kicking her “at full strength,” and burning her skin with a barbecue fork, authorities said. The court records submitted by the investigators revealed that in January, the couple allegedly handcuffed the child to their TV stand in their bedroom and locked her up at night "to keep an eye on her". The police also allegedly found the handcuffs and cellphone video of the little girl being beaten while they were searching the couple's home.
On the morning when Annai was found dead, her parents told the police that she had developed a bad cough a few hours earlier and eventually stopped breathing. The couple explained that they wrapped a plastic bag over her head to help her breathe, but her condition didn't improve, so they finally called 911 at 3:30 am. The authorities were also concerned over how the couple didn't seek any medical help when they discovered that their daughter was ingesting toxic chemicals, and resorted to calling 911 only on the day of her passing.