Valerie & Melvin Cordell: New Mexico Couple Accused of Horrific Child Abuse in "Inhumane" Desert Compound
Warning: This post contains details of of child abuse
In Deming, New Mexico, a disturbing case of alleged child abuse and sexual assault has shocked everyone, after a 16-year-old girl reported years of torment by her parents.
Valerie Cordell, 41, and Melvin Cordell, 50, are facing multiple felony charges, including child abuse, criminal sexual penetration, and conspiracy.
According to Law & Crime, these charges came after a four-month criminal investigation by the New Mexico State Police.
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| Valerie Cordell |
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| Melvin Cordell |
The case began in October 2024, when the teenage victim reported the abuse while attending the New Mexico National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academy in Roswell.
The local police department was immediately contacted and forensic investigators formally interviewed the victim.
According to police reports, she told investigators that her father had been sexually assaulting her since she was 13 years old.
She claimed that she had been pregnant twice —once at 14 and again at 16, as reported by KRQE News.
The teen victim claimed her father performed two at-home abortions on her each time she was pregnant.
The girl also accused her parents of forcing her and her siblings to engage in sexual acts in front of other adults, including their relatives.
The abuse allegedly took place in the family home which is a 35-acre property near Deming.
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| An aerial view of a part of the property |
When officers from the local police department arrived at the property, they found the family living in deplorable conditions.
Crime scene investigators described the home as a city trash landfil filled with rotting food, human waste, and broken-down vehicles.
The children—ranging from six months to 16 years old—were reportedly sleeping in underground caves or inside broken-down campers with no protection from extreme weather.
"Investigating officers described it as an inhumane, squalid scene," the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office stated in a press release.
"Buckets of human feces, piles of trash, and animal skeletons were scattered across the land," as per the press release.
Police reports state that the children were allegedly starved as a form of punishment, leading the Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD) to accompany police officers during the visit.
"There's a building in the backyard. The kids had to stay back there and sleep, and it was wintertime—cold," neighbor Troy Reynolds told KOAT.
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| Valerie Cordell and Melvin Cordell speaking to responding officers |
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| The underground caves where the children stayed (Source: Law & Crime) |
Melvin Cordell is charged with:
- 16 counts of Child abuse
- 2 counts of Criminal sexual penetration
- 1 count of Criminal sexual contact of a minor
- 1 count of Conspiracy to commit child abuse
Valerie Cordell is charged with:
- 16 counts of Child abuse
- 1 count of Conspiracy to commit child abuse
Both parents have pleaded not guilty to all charges, as reported by KOAT.
Valerie Cordell was arraigned on March 3, 2025, while Melvin Cordell followed on May 5, 2025.
They remain in custody at the Luna County Detention Center without bond.
If convicted, the couple could face decades in prison.
"While we are unable to comment on the specifics of this case, CYFD remains firmly committed to the safety and well-being of children and youth," said Jessica Preston, deputy communications director for the department.
All the children are now in protective custody, while the parents wait for their day in court.
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