COEUR d’ALENE — One of the co-defendants in a child beating case accepted a plea bargain that calls for his testimony in exchange for dismissing two felony charges against him.

Melvin Bledsoe, 37, who is charged along with his sister and wife, Joy Tamika Anderson, 30, for allegedly beating a 6-year-old so severely his pancreas ruptured, agreed to testify against Anderson if the state dropped an incest charge against him along with a habitual offender charge.

Incest carries a maximum life sentence in Idaho.

According to court records, the 6-year-old, who lived with the couple, suffered from a ruptured pancreas caused by a great amount of force. Investigators said the couple told authorities the boy fell on his bicycle and struck a rock, but they didn’t immediately seek medical attention for the injury. By the time he saw a doctor, the boy was in a lot of pain and suffered bloating from seeping body fluids.

Life-saving surgery was performed and a caregiver told police the child’s injuries were among the worst child abuse injuries she had witnessed, according to prosecutors.

This month’s plea agreement comes after Anderson’s attorney, Jerri L. Brooks, complained to the court that she had not received a plea offer from prosecutors.

According to the Aug. 2 agreement the state will dismiss a habitual offender charge against Bledsoe, as well as the incest charge, which is the result of the couple being married as well as being siblings, and their “irregular” living conditions.

The incest charge will be dismissed if Bledsoe provides “truthful testimony,” consistent with conversations he had with investigators.

The agreement limits prosecutors to argue for a 45-year prison sentence, instead of a 60-year maximum sentence, while defense attorneys can ask for a reduced sentence.

At a July hearing, Brooks said prosecutors have been unwilling to consider a resolution in the case, which remains set for a costly jury trial.

“We’ve never even received a plea offer in this case,” Brooks told the court. “The state has some duty as stewards of the public coffers to act in good faith.”

Prosecutors said having the defendants plead guilty to both injury to child and incest would be the most prudent.

“We do feel we have a strong case based on the evidence,” prosecutors said.

Anderson and Bledsoe are accused of beating Bledsoe’s 6-year-old son, tying him to a bed to prevent him from eating, locking him in a room, and stepping on him.

Bledsoe is in jail on a $200,000 bond and Anderson is being held on a $75,000 bond.