A 53-year-old New Mexico father has been sentenced to prison for brutally attacking his teenage stepchildren after seeing them playing with a voice-activated Alexa gadget.
Lerenzo Legardy was sentenced to three years in prison, followed by two years probation, on Thursday. His conviction arose from a frightening event in May 2024, in which his stepchildren were left bleeding from many welts on their arms and legs.
The court heard that Legardy used an extension cord to whip the children, causing serious injuries. Prosecutors from Doña Ana County noted that despite the victims not being able to speak, the older brother’s passionate and “courageous” statement helped the jury reach a quick conclusion, with only 20 minutes of deliberation leading to the guilty ruling.
“Our office is committed to ensuring justice is served and that victims have a voice, even if they themselves can’t speak,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Spencer Willson.
Meanwhile, Legardy’s wife, Yvonne Legardy, was facing various child abuse charges, but those were dropped in November, according to court documents.
According to court documents, Yvonne’s 14-year-old son fled the family home on May 31, 2024, and sought aid at the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library. He claimed that she beat him with a blue metal mop handle after accusing him of not cleaning the backyard adequately.
When Las Cruces Police responded, they found obvious welts on the boy’s body that matched the shape of the mop. Officers discovered the damaged mop at the family’s Webster Avenue residence, which matched the boy’s description.
Further investigations uncovered an even more disturbing incidence on May 11, 2024. After finding a vaping device, Yvonne allegedly forced two of her children to chain smoke cigarettes in the backyard until they vomited. When they vomited, she allegedly pepper-sprayed them as punishment.
Documents suggest this was not the first time Yvonne used pepper spray on her children. Despite the serious nature of the allegations, her cases were later dismissed for reasons not made clear in court documents.
Lerenzo Legardy, however, will now serve time for his actions. His conviction marks a partial closure to what authorities described as a deeply troubling pattern of household abuse.
The case highlights the vulnerability of children in domestic abuse situations and the importance of speaking up, even when the victims themselves cannot.
Authorities applauded the bravery of the older sibling, whose testimony helped bring justice to his younger brothers and sisters.
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