A 15-year-old New Mexico teen was locked in a chicken coop and fed primarily ramen for at least five months

Content warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of child abuse. Please take care while reading.

An extreme child abuse case has emerged from New Mexico, where a couple was arrested on Tuesday. Feb. 18 this year, accused of locking a 15-year-old teenager in a chicken coop for “extended periods,” and often in “extreme weather conditions.”

Allegedly, the couple, Patricia Madrid, 36, and Jammy Jackson, 59, from Farmington, NM, about 183 miles northwest of Albuquerque, primarily gave the teen ramen for food and let the teenager out twice a day to use the bathroom on a schedule Madrid and Jackson approved, according to Farmington police.

Farmington authorities first learned of the suspected abuse in September last year when New Mexico Child Protective Services (CPS) told them they were concerned for the child’s well-being. New Mexico CPS was contacted after the teen — reportedly a girl — told her maternal grandmother about what was happening.

According to Farmington police, the child was immediately removed from the home as they gathered evidence and finally filed charges in February. The Tri-City Record reports that the teen lives with ADHD, autism, and fetal alcohol syndrome and had been in counseling to help learn personal hygiene and self-care. Jackson and Madrid have denied the abuse accusations.

The teen’s siblings were treated differently

Farmington Police investigating allegations of severe child abuse. The child was allegedly locked in a chicken coop for extended periods and exposed to extreme weather. 36yo Patricia Madrid and 59yo Jammy Jackson are facing 14 felony counts. #News #Crime #NM #Farmington…

— N' Cuffs (@NCuffs1) February 18, 2025

According to court documents viewed by Albuquerque news outlet KRQE, the abused teen told investigators she was fed ramen once a day while her siblings would eat whatever they wanted. According to the Tri-City Record, the girl was kept in the coop for “extended periods” in both winter and summer and in extreme heat and cold temperatures without proper clothing. Police believe the abuse happened between Nov. 2023 and Sept. 2024.

According to an arrest affidavit, the girl was also forced to stand for about 17 hours from 5 am to 10 pm wearing earmuffs and a blindfold and was often bitten by insects and bees. Jackson is also accused of holding a gun to the teenage girl’s head, saying he wouldn’t mind going to jail for killing her, adding it would be just like “killing an animal.” The girl also showed signs of physical abuse, including scars from where she was allegedly beaten with a studded belt.

Madrid reportedly started dating Jackson after the girl’s mother died

Madrid and Jackson have been dating since the girl’s biological mother died. As part of the investigation, text messages between Jackson and Madrid were obtained, in which Madrid told Jackson she wished the girl was dead “just like her mom” and called a “horrible human being.” Madrid and Jackson also planned how they would lock the girl up in text messages viewed by police.

Madrid and Jackson are free on their own recognizance but ordered to have no contact with the child. Facing 14 felony charges stemming from the alleged abuse, they have not entered a plea but have reportedly said the girl is lying. They are expected in court for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 26. Madrid faced child abuse charges at least once before, in 2020, but those charges were dropped, according to New Mexico’s KOB4.

“This case underscores the critical collaboration between the Farmington Police Department and Child Protective Services in ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable children,” Farmington PD said in their social media statement announcing Madrid and Jackson’s arrest. “The investigation remains ongoing,” the department added.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or if you believe someone you know is being abused, contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-SAFE or spoken with online via the hotline’s website. Mobile phone owners can also text “START” to the number 88788