One charged in Manly child endangerment case enters Alford plea, other still missing

MANLY — One part of a couple from Manly charged with child endangerment has entered an Alford plea as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors while the other has still not shown up for court appearances.

A criminal complaint says Manly’s police chief Aaron Pals was dispatched to 213 South Broadway Street for a medical call back on February 13th of last year, where he says he found a three-year-old female who was unconscious and not breathing. Pals says the child started breathing on her own after CPR was given but the child was still unresponsive. The complaint says the child had numerous wounds in all stages of healing ranging from old scars to fresh open wounds, and that the child had not been taken to a medical facility for treatment.

48-year-old Gary Anderson and 34-year-old Antwine King were charged with one count of child endangerment, that’s a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison. King filed a written Alford plea last week in Worth County District Court to one count of child endangerment. With an Alford plea, a person does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a likely conviction. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a deferred judgment and three years probation when she’s sentenced on May 13th.

Anderson meanwhile failed to show up for a hearing last month. A warrant has been issued for his arrest and further proceedings in his case will take place once he is arrested.