DEMING – A Deming couple accused of locking their 6-year-old child inside a shed without electricity or running water will remain in custody pending trial, according to the Sixth Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
As first reported by KRQE, Bruce and Samantha Anglin have been charged with child abuse following a disturbing discovery on June 20 at their rural Luna County residence. Bruce Anglin pleaded not guilty to the charge during a detention hearing on July 3. Both defendants are being held at the Luna County Detention Center.
Luna County sheriff’s deputies responded to the Anglins’ property, located at 12030 Pequeno Road NE, after receiving a call about a child possibly in physical distress. When deputies arrived, they found the 6-year-old girl locked inside a wooden shed with a metal roof and no utilities. Deputies forced entry by removing exterior siding, then unlocked the shed door to rescue the child.
According to court records, the child told deputies she had been locked inside, was hungry and thirsty, and had no access to water. Medics later observed bruising, a swollen eye, and signs of malnourishment. The child said she had only eaten a tortilla and some diced onion the day before.
Inside the shed, deputies found a bucket used as a toilet and a loft sleeping space accessible by ladder with only a thin cushion and no blankets. The environment was described as hot, dirty, and foul-smelling, with the odor of feces and urine present.
The child also reported that her parents had gone to town and brought her 2-year-old sister along, leaving her locked in the shed alone. When the Anglins returned, they were taken in for questioning.
Court documents state that Bruce Anglin, the child’s stepfather, admitted to locking her in the shed the previous afternoon as punishment. Samantha Anglin confirmed that she knew her husband had confined the child between 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on June 19. She told investigators she had attempted to convince him to let the child out, but he refused.
Deputies noted that temperatures on June 20 exceeded 100 degrees by the time the child was rescued.
The child was transported to Mimbres Memorial Hospital for evaluation. Both she and her younger sister have since been placed in protective state custody, according to the district attorney’s office.