The victim was left in a car for four-and-a-half hours and the next day for nine-and-a-half hours, which resulted in her death
Representational Picture
On one occasion, she was left in a car for four-and-a-half hours and the next day for nine-and-a-half hours, which resulted in her death, the prosecutors said.
"Phakhin had been warned repeatedly to protect Maiya and was advised to take her to a cooling shelter, but she did not accept the offers," prosecutors said. "After Maiya's death, Phakhin told law enforcement that she and Smith were trying to remove the lustful demons from Maiya."
The couple were arrested on June 28, 2017, in Rancho Cordova, north of San Francisco, after their SUV was spotted by police parked the wrong way. Officers began searching the car after a records check revealed that Smith had an outstanding warrant in Arkansas.
Maiya was found underneath blankets in the back seat and was pronounced dead at the scene.
With inputs from AFP
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