A jury on Friday found Mary Horsley guilty of child abuse resulting in serious injury for torturing her grand-niece by leaving her in frigid water.

After deliberating less than five hours, a jury acquitted the Colorado Springs woman of attempted murder, but convicted on all other charges against her.

The verdict capped several days of disturbing testimony about how 21-month-old Alexis Salaz was disciplined with cold water whenever she made a misstep. She nearly died a year ago when she was left bound and gagged beneath a shower of extremely cold water.

Horsley, 50, also was convicted of abusing two grandchildren who lived with her.

Horsley’s bond was revoked after the verdict was read, and her sentencing was set for May 29. She faces up to 48 years in prison, according to prosecutors. She could get three additional years in the El Paso County jail for her conviction on two misdemeanor child abuse charges.

Horsley was quiet as the verdict was read by Judge David Prince, and there was little reaction from those in the courtroom. Alexis’ biological father, Joseph Saunders, did not attend the hearing, though prosecutors said afterwards that the family had been informed of Horsley’s conviction.

Deputy District Attorneys Debbie Pearson and Mike Ringle said they were satisfied with the verdict, even though Horsley was acquitted of attempted murder, the most serious charge she faced. To convict on that charge, the jury would have had to find that Horsley knew her actions might kill the child.

“She’s been held responsible for the actions that she took,” said Ringle. “That’s certainly sufficient for what she’s done, and certainly deserved.”

The most important thing, Pearson said, was that Alexis was out of harm’s way.

“The child is in a safe place, out of the environment that she was in,” said Pearson. “We’re thankful for that. She’s really a miracle baby, to have survived this torture.”

Defense attorney Ed Farry said he and Horsley were “gratified” by the acquittal on attempted murder, and promised to appeal the child abuse convictions. He said he has “no expectations one way or another” what type of sentence Horsley will receive.

During closing arguments earlier in the day, Pearson and Ringle flipped through photos from the case during their summation, shots of the home where Alexis allegedly was doused repeatedly with cold water as punishment for bad behavior. They painted Horsley as a heartless abuser, and said abuse happened at least seven times.

Along with being sprayed with frigid water, she was occasionally beaten with a spatula and a belt, and also put into a tub of cold water.

“If she moved, she was dunked. If she cried, she was dunked,” Pearson said. “Alexis never had a break. It was constant, constant torture.”

Farry told the jury that the blame for Alexis’ treatment belongs with her 19-year-old mother, Samantha Salaz. Farry said Samantha, Horsley’s niece, was the one who had submerged Alexis and held her under the shower, while Horsley was asleep. He said the fact that she had accepted a plea deal of 24 years in prison in exchange for testifying against Horsley was proof that she was only out to protect herself.

“Samantha has told a web of lies from the moment she opened her mouth,” Farry said.

He chipped away at Samantha’s credibility, pointing out that after accepting the plea deal, she admitted to partying and smoking meth until 4 a.m. that morning before returning at 7 a.m., and said her story of what happened fluctuated constantly throughout the case.

Farry also said a big hole in Samantha’s story was she said the shower had run for three hours, but the records for the house reported far less use. The timeline in her version of the day’s events didn’t match the facts, he said.

“She did it, and that proves it,” Farry told the jury.

Ringle called Farry’s arguments “tricks,” and pulled out the big blue tub in which Alexis was allegedly dunked. On top, he stacked the electrical tape that the toddler was bound with, the spatula and the belt that she was beaten with, and the shower head that sprayed her.

Ringle pointed at Horsley and quoted a witness.

“Her house. Her rules.”

—Contact John Schroyer: 476-4825Twitter @JohnschroyerFacebook Gazette John Schroyer

Samantha Salaz, left, and Mary Horsley Photo by Colorado Springs Police Department