New Mexico Couple Arrested for Allegedly Keeping Teen with Autism ‘Locked in a Chicken Coop’ for 'Extended Periods'

Mar. 15, 2025

Mugshots of Jammy Jackson and his girlfriend Patricia Madrid.Photo:San Juan Adult Detention Center

San Juan Adult Detention Center

A couple was arrested in New Mexico after allegedly locking a child in a chicken coop for “extended periods of time,” according to authorities.

The Farmington Police Department in New Mexico shared in a Feb. 18press releasethat Jammy Jackson, 59, and Patricia Madrid, 36, were arrested and charged with 14 felony counts, including child abuse and conspiracy to commit child abuse.

Detectives with the police department were first alerted to the incident after receiving a referral from Child Protective Services regarding concerns for a child’s welfare on Sept. 16. Police said “reports indicated” that the child involved in the incident “had been locked in a chicken coop” for “extended periods” of time and “exposed to extreme weather conditions” while in the coop.

“Detectives immediately responded, removed the child from the home, and gathered evidence corroborating the allegations,” police said in a statement, adding that the incident was still under investigation.

The girl claimed that she needed to seek approval from both Jackson and Madrid to use the restroom, but when she began using the restroom without their permission, they “became upset and started locking her up,” according to the arrest warrant affidavit, perThe Durango Herald.

Jammy Jackson, the father of the autistic girl who claimed he locked her in a chicken coop for “extended periods” of time.San Juan Adult Detention Center

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Patricia Madrid has been accused of locking the teenage child of her boyfriend in a chicken coop for “extended periods” of time.San Juan Adult Detention Center

Jackson also reportedly told detectives that the teenager was seeking counseling to help with personal hygiene and “self-care.”

Madrid and Jackson were released from the San Juan County Detention Center following their arrest. A preliminary hearing for the couple was scheduled on Feb. 26.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Farmington Police Department for updates on the case.

source: people.com