Luna County, New Mexico — A New Mexico man will spend 7½ years in state prison after authorities said he locked a 6-year-old child inside an outdoor shed surrounded by barbed wire for more than 24 hours, leaving her without electricity or running water.
Bruce Anglin was sentenced Monday by Sixth Judicial District Judge Jennifer DeLaney after pleading guilty to six charges, including two counts of third-degree child abuse, conspiracy to commit child abuse and false imprisonment offenses.
His wife, Samantha Anglin, previously pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree child abuse and also received a suspended sentence.
Deputy Found Girl Locked Inside Shed
The case began on June 20, 2025, when Luna County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a child believed to be locked inside an outdoor shed on a rural property near Lewis Flats and Pojoaque Roads.
When deputies arrived, they found the property’s entrance gate locked.
According to prosecutors, one deputy announced his presence and activated his emergency lights before gaining access through a barbed-wire fence.
The deputy then heard something that immediately raised concern.
“While walking around the property, [the deputy] heard a child’s voice calling out from an outside shed,” the release states.
The officer located the 6-year-old girl inside the shed, where she had reportedly been locked for more than 24 hours.
The child had no electricity or running water, although she had a water bottle. She was able to communicate with the deputy through a broken window.
Authorities said the girl’s parents and her younger sister were in town at the time. The deputy eventually forced his way into the shed and removed the child.
Child Found With Visible Injuries
Prosecutors described the conditions inside the shed as “deplorable, filthy conditions.”
The girl reportedly had visible bruises and a swollen eye, and she told emergency medical personnel that she had eaten very little the previous day.
She was immediately taken to Mimbres Memorial Hospital for medical treatment. The discovery prompted a criminal investigation into how the child had been treated and why she had been locked inside the structure.
When detectives questioned Bruce Anglin, prosecutors said he admitted to locking the girl inside the shed as punishment. Anglin and his wife were subsequently arrested and held without bond while the case moved through the court system.
Wife Described Years of Abuse
During Bruce Anglin’s sentencing hearing, Samantha Anglin addressed the court and reportedly described years of abuse that she and her two children had suffered at his hands.
Her own criminal case had already resulted in a guilty plea to third-degree child abuse. Samantha received a suspended three-year sentence and supervised probation. She was also credited with 454 days of time served.
As part of the outcome, she formally relinquished her parental rights to both of her children.
Judge Sentences Bruce Anglin to 7½ Years
Prosecutors had asked the court to impose the maximum 12-year prison sentence available in the case. Anglin’s defense attorney instead requested a suspended sentence and credit for the 454 days he had already spent in presentence confinement.
Judge DeLaney ultimately sentenced him to 7½ years in a state correctional facility, followed by 4½ years of supervised probation.
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The court also credited Anglin with the 454 days he had already spent in custody. One of the conditions of his probation is that Bruce Anglin is prohibited from having contact with children.
Case Ends With Long-Term Restrictions
The sentence brings a major court proceeding to a close more than a year after the child was found inside the shed.
The case involved multiple allegations of child abuse and false imprisonment, with prosecutors presenting evidence that the girl had been confined for an extended period under extremely poor conditions.
The girl’s discovery by a sheriff’s deputy ultimately led to medical treatment, an investigation and criminal charges against both adults.
Samantha Anglin’s decision to surrender her parental rights also means she will no longer legally retain custody of either child.
Bruce Anglin will serve his prison term before beginning his period of supervised probation, while remaining subject to restrictions that prohibit him from having contact with children.
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