Trenay Duchane, age 12, died after being punched to unconsciousness, beaten with an electrical cord and a broomstick, and scalded to death by her stepmother, Reiko Troupe, as punishment for not cleaning her room. Her 9-year-old sister Treshae was also beaten and burned in an attempt to save Trenay. The girls’ father, Jeffrey Duchane Jr., allowed Trenay’s body to remain in their apartment for four days, eventually calling the police because Trenay’s body was beginning to smell.
CPS investigated the Duchanes in summer 2006 when Troupe gave birth to a baby girl who showed signs of drug exposure. The family was being monitored by CPS until November, when they moved away to escape scrutiny. According to Treshae, this is when Duchane and Troupe began to abuse the two girls, beating them with a knotted electrical cord or a fist, burning them with an iron or hot water, and leaving Treshae’s broken arm to heal without treatment. Though both girls were enrolled in school, they were frequently absent and Treshae was dropped from the rolls in April 2007. Trenay showed up twice with a black eye. In both cases, school officials did not investigate or report problems to the authorities. In fear of further observation, however, Troupe decided not to let the girls return to school in the fall, and they were not seen outside of their apartment until November. “I don’t go to school,” Treshae would later tell police. “My mom teaches me at home. She said it was better.”
Both Troupe and Duchane pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and child abuse and were sentenced to life in prison.
Date: November 6, 2007
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
| Documents: | Date: |
| 12-year-old Girl Killed, 2 Suspects In Custody | 2007-11-13 |
| Tortured kids of Arizona cry out for lifeline | 2007-11-17 |
| Girl beaten, doused with hot water to be laid to rest | 2007-11-21 |
| Warnings missed in girl’s death | 2008-06-04 |
| Dad gets life in prison for ignoring dying girl | 2009-08-03 |
