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PD: Phoenix father arrested in death of malnourished, dehydrated daughter

Posted at 12:17 PM, Jun 25, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-25 14:17:28-04

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    PHOENIX, AZ (KTVK) — A father of a Phoenix woman who died of malnutrition and and dehydration last year has been arrested and charged.

Police arrested 46-year-old Richard Comer Friday in the death of his 21-year-old daughter, Vanessa Comer.

On July of 2018, police say that Vanessa was brought to a local hospital in a “severe state of malnutrition and dehydration” by her father, who was also her caretaker.

Police added that Vanessa was diagnosed “with a serious medical condition and was completely dependent on Richard for total care, nutrition and transportation for her doctor visits.”

Over a three month period, police say that Richard had failed to provide any such care until sending Vanessa to the hospital.

Police say Richard had found his daughter unresponsive in a trailer near 27th Avenue and Deer Valley Road.

During Phoenix police’s investigation, they received a notice from the Maricopa Office of the Medical Examiner that Vanessa’s death was ruled a homicide.

On Friday, officers located and arrested Richard.

He was booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail on a count each of second degree murder and vulnerable adult abuse.

Phoenix police added that Richard faces additional charges of animal abuse after they found two malnourished and dehydrated dogs inside his home.

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