A mother arrested in a Pima County child abuse case has died from apparent self-inflicted injuries, officials say. Her three children remain in state custody following her arrest.
PIMA COUNTY, Ariz. - Help is available. If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call or text 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to civilians and veterans. Support in Spanish is also available. You can also chat with crisis counselors via online chat.
CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide.
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A mother arrested in a Pima County child abuse investigation involving three children has died from self-inflicted injuries in Pinal County, the sheriff's department said on Sept. 28.
The backstory:
On Sept. 22, just before 11:30 a.m., deputies responded to a home near Quinlin Trail and Silver Star Drive for a report about a runaway teen who needed medication.
"Deputies who arrived on scene received a report that 15-year-old Ryker Lee ran away and was last seen leaving the property on camera on September 22, 2026, at approximately 10:00 a.m.," the sheriff's department said.
The call revealed alleged child abuse of three children, including Lee. Deputies say they discovered Lee had been confined to a small, padlocked room inside a recreational vehicle that didn't have running water, a restroom, or air conditioning.
The two other children, ages eight and 10, were found in "deplorable" and "unsanitary" conditions inside the main home.
The kids' mother, 39-year-old Danielle Renae Lee-Sharp, was arrested. Their stepfather, 43-year-old Michael Aaron Menzie, was also arrested. They were booked into jail and accused of three counts of child abuse.
The Department of Child Safety took custody of the younger siblings while the search continued for Lee.
Dig deeper:
Three days later, on Sept. 25, the sheriff's department said a community tip helped find Lee around 1 p.m. about three miles from his home.
That's not where the case ends.
Two days later, at around 5 a.m., the department got word about a man having a mental health crisis. When a deputy went to check on him, the man appeared to have died from self-inflicted injuries.
The kids' mother was also found dead from apparent self-inflicted injuries, the department said.
"The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is aware of the death of Danielle Lee-Sharp, the mother of Ryker Lee, in Pinal County. Our investigators are in contact with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office," the county said. "Ryker and his two siblings remain in custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety. No additional information will be released at this time as this is an active investigation."
What we don't know:
The man who died was not identified, and it wasn't ruled out if the man was the stepfather. Investigators have not said what's next for Lee and his two siblings.
Help is available. If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call or text 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to civilians and veterans. Support in Spanish is also available. You can also chat with crisis counselors via online chat.
CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide.