Boys, 7 and 10, near death after beating

PHOENIX — Two boys who suffered extensive head injuries from a beating at a Phoenix park were not expected to survive, police said Wednesday.

Joe Sauceda Gallegos, 36, made an initial court appearance on two counts of child abuse and dangerous crimes against children in the Tuesday attack on 7-year-old Jesse Ramirez and 10-year-old Edwin Pellecier, Jesse’s cousin.

Police said the boys were in extremely critical condition. The hospital treating the boys would not release their medical status.

Investigators found shirts with red stains and an aluminum baseball bat at Gallegos’ home near the park, according to a police statement filed in court. Police think Gallegos acted alone.

“We don’t know the motive,” police spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson said in an interview. “He followed these two boys to the park and bludgeoned them.”

Gallegos, who was jailed in lieu of a $1-million cash bond, told police he had no knowledge of the attack.

The boys were attacked midday Tuesday at a small community park.

A neighbor found them lying in a sandy area near a playground slide and called for help.

As police searched the area for witnesses, they said a neighbor offered video from a surveillance camera that had captured images of boys walking toward the park, followed a minute later by a man carrying an object that looked like a bat.

Investigators who went to Gallegos’ house noted that he appeared nervous and that he resembled the man in the video.

Police also said Gallegos’ hands smelled like chlorine and his shoes were stained with what looked like blood.