West Bend child abuse case; Guadalupe Santana gets probation in plea deal
Guadalupe Lizbet Santana
WEST BEND, Wis. - A Washington County judge sentenced Guadalupe Santana on Wednesday, June 12 to two years probation after she pleaded guilty to two amended counts of misdemeanor battery. Santana originally faced felony child abuse charges associated with incidents from October 2023.
The judge originally sentenced Santana to serve 18 months in the Community Reintegration Center with the two charges. The judge then stayed the sentence – and ordered the probation.
Case details
A criminal complaint alleged Santana whipped two children with phone cords, sprayed them in the face with bleach and punched one of them in the face. The complaint also alleged she would leave the state without bringing the children with her.
Police got involved on Oct. 23, 2023, when a relative of the children reported the alleged abuse. The now-former West Bend city clerk resigned from her position two days later. Santana told the clerk's office it was because she needed to care for a sick family member. But the criminal complaint that was filed paints a darker picture.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
The complaint alleged the two children were taken to the emergency room by a family member. Medical evaluations of the children revealed several signs of abuse, including scars and cord-shaped marks on the body.
The complaint alleged that Santana admitted to what she did. However, she said she meant to spray the children with a "different deodorizing spray" but grabbed the bleach by accident.