Tremonton Garland police have arrested a couple in connection with the 2025 death of their 11-year-old child. Brigham Young Merrell, 35, and Linda Marie Merrell, 36, have been jailed without bail following an investigation into the incident.
Brigham Merrell was arrested Wednesday and booked on charges of child abuse homicide and child torture, which are both first-degree felonies, according to the Tremonton Garland Police Department. Melinda Merrell was also arrested and booked on a charge of child torture, a first-degree felony.
The investigation began on September 21, 2025, when officers responded to a 911 call regarding an unresponsive child at a Tremonton residence. Court documents indicate that Brigham Merrell called the authorities alleging he found his minor child hanging by a coaxial cable.
Police stated that despite life-saving efforts by emergency medical personnel and officers, the child was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital.
Investigators reported finding multiple inconsistencies between the parents' stories and physical evidence at the scene, as well as surveillance videos recorded inside the home. During the investigation, police also interviewed the couple's other children, who spoke about alleged abuse by their parents.
Police stated that interviews with the surviving children revealed years of allegations involving child torture and abuse. These allegations included food restriction, corporal punishment using items like belts and pans to cause bruising, and children being sent to stay in an outside dog-run when in trouble.
Investigators located video footage that supported several of these allegations and found that Melinda Merrell either participated directly in beatings or watched as her husband participated. According to police, Melinda admitted that she and her husband whipped the children with various instruments and would check for bruises two days later to adjust their methods.
Police reported that both parents admitted to the abuse and stated they should have researched Utah laws before moving to the state. Melinda specifically stated she was not aware that leaving marks on her children was unacceptable.
The surviving children from the home have been referred to child welfare agencies, according to a Tremonton Garland Police Department press release.
The department stated it will not release the identity of the deceased child to respect the victim's dignity and protect the privacy and safety of the surviving family members and other children involved in the case.
