Grandmother seeks custody in abuse case

LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) - The grandmother of three Valencia County children alleged to have been restrained, beaten and shocked by the four adults they lived with is fighting to bring them home to Missouri.

The children have been in state custody since May when the allegations surfaced

Valencia County deputies said their investigation revealed that the children ages 3, 4, and 6 had been restrained to chairs with duct tape and then shocked with an electric box. They were also beaten with a belt so hard, the belt broke.

The children's parents, Kimberly Galczynski and Anthony Welker, along with Welker's mother, Brenda Mundo and her boyfriend Gerald Tunnel were arrested and charged with multiple counts of child abuse.

Now the children's other grandmother, Doris Galczynski who lives in Missouri, has filed for custody for the kids.

"It just kills me," Doris Galczynski told News 13 in an interview from Missouri. "It's hard for me to get around my daughter not sticking up for her kids."

The New Mexico Children Youth & Families Department said it is considering placing the children with the grandmother. A home visit, background checks and other measures are being taken by Missouri social services to determine if Galczynski is a fit guardian, CYFD spokesperson Romaine Serna said.

The three children aren't the only ones being affected by all this. Kimberly Galczynski is nine months pregnant.

CYFD said it hasn't determined if it has enough evidence to remove that child from the mother.

Doris Galczynski said she is taking matters in to her own hands and has asked her daughter to give her legal guardianship of the baby once it's born. Galczynski told News 13 her daughter has agreed and has signed the necessary paperwork.

CYFD says it's unclear how long it will be before they determine if Galczynski gets custody of the other three children.