By: Fallon Fischer
DEMING, N.M. (KRQE) — A New Mexico home where eight children lived with their two parents was described by state police as looking like “a city trash landfill.” But living conditions are only in addition to accusations that the parents physically and sexually abused their young kids.
According to court documents, the eight children, whose ages range from 16 years old to 6 months, and their parents, Melvin Cordell, 50, and Valerie Cordell, 41, lived in “underground caves” made of mud on a 35-acre property in Deming.
Investigators who searched the property described the caves as being “4 to 6 feet deep,” and one of them had tunnels connected to it. Mattresses and buckets of feces were found in the caves and in other areas of the property. Also on the property, officers found mountains of trash, rotting food, animal skeletons, broken appliances, broken campers, vehicles, and clothes lining the driveway.
While serving the search warrant, Melvin Cordell told officers that his oldest son slept in a white van with no tires. Cordell also showed officers two trailers that were being used as storage, one of which had roof damage, and Cordell said the family hadn’t lived in over 10 years.
New Mexico State Police began investigating the Cordells in October 2024 after receiving a report from Roswell Police. Their 16-year-old daughter reported the abuse while at New Mexico National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academy and RPD was alerted.
The 16 year-old told investigators that she and her siblings not only lived in caves but were forced by their parents to participate in sexual acts with each other in front of adults.
The teen said she had been pregnant twice, once at the age of 13 and second at her current age. The girl told investigators she had “unwanted sex” with her father and two other adult relatives who live in Las Vegas, according to court documents.
She also told investigators that her parents starved the kids as punishment, recalling instances where they were not fed after they called 9-1-1 and officials visited the property.
Law enforcement believes the abuse happened between 2014 and 2024.
Valerie and Melvin Cordell were arrested on Feb. 21, and booked into the Luna County Detention Center.
Valerie Cordell is charged with 16 counts of child abuse and one count of conspiracy to commit child abuse. Melvin Cordell, meanwhile, is charged with 16 counts of child abuse, two counts of criminal sexual penetration, one count of criminal sexual contact of a minor, and one count of conspiracy to commit child abuse.
State prosecution is pushing to keep both suspects behind bars pending trial.
All eight children remain in New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) custody.
