Suspects in abuse plead no contest

LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) - A man accused of beating and shocking four small children pleaded no contest to his charges on Monday in a Los Lunas courtroom, and a woman pleaded no contest to charges she failed to report the abuse.

Anthony Welker, the father of three of the children, faces a minimum of three years in prison. Prosecutors said he physically abused them.

Brenda Mundo, the children's grandmother, faces a minimum of two years. Prosecutors said she didn't personally hurt the children, but failed to report the abuse.

Welker, Mundo and two other adults are accused of torturing the children, aged 3, 4, 4 and 6 in their Los Lunas home.

Deputies said they found evidence the children were duct-taped to chairs, shocked with an electric box and beaten so severely, a leather belt broke.

Prosecutors said Welker showed remorse for the abuse and provided police with a very long statement about what happened, which they said implicated him and the other defendants.

Earlier this month, Kimberly Galzynski, the mother of three of the children, pleaded no contest for her role. Prosecutors said she didn't take part in the abuse, but knew it was happening and did nothing to stop it.

Prosecutors dropped child abuse and kidnapping charges against her in exchange for her testimony.

The fourth defendant, Gerald Tunnel, Mundo's boyfriend, is still awaiting his court hearing for the charges.