Child kept locked inside a chicken coop in extreme weather, New Mexico police say

Two people are accused of keeping a child locked in a chicken coop for long periods in extreme weather, New Mexico police reported.

A 36-year-old woman and 59-year-old man face charges including child abuse and conspiracy to commit child abuse, Farmington police said in a Tuesday, Feb. 18, news release.

The couple kept their 15-year-old daughter locked in a chicken coop, allowing her out twice a day to use the bathroom and feeding her ramen, KRQE reported, citing court documents.

Detectives and child protective services workers removed the child from the home in September, police said in the release.

The two adults were arrested Feb. 18 following an investigation, police said.

Farmington is about a 185-mile drive northwest from Albuquerque.

This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 11:27 AM with the headline "Child kept locked inside a chicken coop in extreme weather, New Mexico police say."