A mother arrested after an investigation into alleged child abuse in Pima County, Arizona, has died from apparent self-inflicted injuries, while her three children remain in the care of the state.
Danielle Renae Lee-Sharp, 39, was found dead in neighbouring Pinal County on Sunday, 27 September, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Investigators have not released further details as the case remains active.
The investigation began on 22 September after deputies were called to a property near Quinlin Trail and Silver Star Drive following a report that 15-year-old Ryker Lee had run away and needed medication.
Deputies said they discovered evidence involving all three children. Ryker was allegedly being kept in a small, padlocked room inside a recreational vehicle without running water, toilet facilities or air conditioning.
His two younger siblings, aged eight and 10, were found in what authorities described as “deplorable” and “unsanitary” conditions inside the main home.
Lee-Sharp and the children’s stepfather, 43-year-old Michael Aaron Menzie, were arrested and each accused of three counts of child abuse. The allegations have not been tested in court.
The younger children were taken into the custody of Arizona’s Department of Child Safety, while the search for Ryker continued. He was found on 25 September, about three miles from his home, after a tip from a member of the public.
Two days later, deputies were called at about 5am to reports of a man experiencing a mental health crisis in Pinal County. The man appeared to have died from self-inflicted injuries, officials said. He has not been identified and authorities have not confirmed whether he was Menzie.
“The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is aware of the death of Danielle Lee-Sharp, the mother of Ryker Lee, in Pinal County,” the department said. “Our investigators are in contact with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.”
It added that Ryker and his siblings remained in the custody of the Department of Child Safety and that no further information would be released while the investigation continued.
Anyone in the US experiencing a mental health crisis can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
