A 6-year-old Flagstaff boy died after his parents kept him and his brother in a closet without food for a month, police said.

The boys’ parents, 23-year-old Anthony Jose Archibeque-Martinez and 26-year-old Elizabeth Archibeque-Martinez, told officers that the boy and his 7-year-old brother were kept in the bedroom closet and denied food at times, police said.

The parents estimated the boys were in the closet for about a month “because they were stealing food by sneaking out at night when the parents slept,” police said.

The boys’ grandmother, 50-year-old Ann Marie Martinez, said she was aware of their condition and disciplined the children when they stole food, police said.

Police arrested the parents and grandmother on suspicion of first-degree felony homicide and two counts of child abuse, officials said. They were booked into the Coconino County Jail.

Police found the boy Monday after an emergency call of an unresponsive child near Cedar Avenue and Monte Vista Drive, officials said.

Officers tried to revive the boy but were unsuccessful, according to police.

There were no apparent signs of trauma, but the boy appeared to be malnourished, police said.

The Arizona Department of Child Safety took custody of the boy’s surviving siblings, ages 2, 4 and 7, according to police.

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Reach the reporter Jamie Landers at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @jamielanderstv.

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