Deming Mother Charged After Children Found Living in Underground Caves; Teen Allegedly Harmed Over 4 Years

Authorities have charged Valerie Cordell with 18 counts, including child abuse, following the discovery of her children living in hazardous conditions on a desert compound in Luna County, New Mexico.

DEMING, NEW MEXICO- A New Mexico mother pleaded not guilty this week to a list of felony charges after prosecutors alleged she and her husband forced their children to live in unsanitary conditions on a remote 35-acre property, where a 16-year-old girl was allegedly subjected to repeated abuse over four years.

Valerie Cordell, 41, of Deming, was arraigned Monday in Luna County on 16 counts of child abuse, one count of criminal sexual penetration, and one count of conspiracy to commit child abuse, according to court records. She was arrested in February following a months-long investigation after New Mexico State Police received a tip in October 2024.

The 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office stated that Valerie and her husband, Melvin Cordell, 50, had been living year-round with their seven children—ranging in age from six months to 16 years—on a remote site near Deming, where the family was found to be staying in deplorable conditions, including a dilapidated trailer, several broken-down campers, and underground dugouts described as caves and tunnels. Investigators also found rotting food, garbage piles, and buckets of human waste throughout the site.

Authorities say the children often slept outside, in semi-underground shelters or abandoned vehicles. The investigation revealed that the 16-year-old daughter disclosed she had been victimized since the age of 13. Court documents reviewed by KRQE indicated the teen had reportedly become pregnant twice—once at age 14 and again after turning 16.

The DA’s office alleged that some incidents involved forced interactions among the siblings and occurred in the presence of other adults. Prosecutors described the environment as resembling a "city trash landfill."

All seven children have since been placed in the custody of the state. The property at 225 Opatah Road is located in a semi-rural part of Luna County.

Melvin Cordell is scheduled to be arraigned on May 5. As the investigation continues, additional legal proceedings and potential charges are pending.