PORTAGE, Wis. -- A drifter has pleaded no contest to helping kill a member of her gang in the Columbia County city of Portage a year ago.

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Candace Clark, 24, was scheduled to go to trial Monday on charges that she helped kill Tammie Garlin and abused Garlin's 11-year-old son.

Instead, her next court appearance will be her sentencing, and she now faces up to 129 years in prison.

On Wednesday, prosecutors were preparing witnesses and getting ready for next week's trial when Clark's attorney informed prosecutors they wanted to enter a plea.

Columbia County district attorney Jane Kohlwey said she doesn't know what prompted the call, WISC-TV reported.

"Ms. Clark had to accept responsibility for everything she did to both of these children," said Kohlwey. "All of the physical and mental abuse she caused to the little boy, and what she did to his older sister by making her participate in these crimes."

Kohlwey said the children in this case have to live with what occurred in that home and even with reduced charges, the punishment should just.

"We have 129 years, six months sentence available for prison, 78 1/2 years of that available for initial confinement," said Kohlwey. "So actual prison time available is well over what her life expectancy would be."

Police found the boy in a closet in the gang's rental house in Portage last year and then found Garlin's body buried in the back yard in June 2007.

Columbia County Clerk of Courts Susan Raimer said Clark has pleaded no contest to second-degree reckless homicide, reduced from being party to first-degree intentional homicide, and no contest to intentionally contributing to the delinquency of a child.

She also pleaded no contest to being party to contributing to the delinquency of a child.

She pleaded guilty to being a party to mayhem, child enticement, child abuse, causing mental harm to a child and false imprisonment.

District Attorney Jane Kohlwey dropped charges of hiding a corpse, another count of false imprisonment and battery. Clark's attorney, David Geier, didn't immediately return a message.

Three adults were charged in connection with the abuse and slaying at the Portage house. Kohlwey said that Clark, along with her boyfriend, Michael Sisk, 26, were the leaders of the group of drifters.

Another member of the group Michaela Clerc, 21, was accused of helping whip and burn the 11-year-old boy. She also was accused of helping stuff him in a closet naked and malnourished. Clerc pleaded no contest to child abuse and false imprisonment charges in March. Kohlwey dropped homicide counts against Clerc in November, saying that she couldn't prove Clerc took part in the killing.

When Columbia County authorities discovered the boy last year, they said his injuries were extensive.

The doctor's examination determined that the boy suffered serial torture, having been whipped daily with belts and an extension cord. A criminal complaint said the adults at the house bound the boy, put him in a bathtub and poured scalding water over his body at least 10 times.

Investigators also said the boy was also malnourished and educationally neglected.

Portage Police Chief Ken Manthey said in June 2007 that the child abuse was the worst he had seen in 30 years as an officer.

A sentencing date has not been set for Clark. Sisk, another suspect in the same case, is scheduled to go to trial Aug. 11. However, the fact that Clark pleaded guilty to some charges cannot be used against Sisk, WISC-TV reported.

Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.