A Wai'anae couple accused of running a "house of torture" for five foster children pleaded guilty and no contest this morning to a series of charges including assault, child endangerment and abuse of a family member.

Gabriel Kalama, 30, pleaded no contest to two counts of second-degree assault and five counts of abuse of a family member.

Deputy Prosecutor Lori Wada said Kalama committed "heinous atrocities" against the children, who were between 7 and 14 years old at the time of the offenses.

The five victims, all siblings, were the cousins of Kalama's wife, Barbara, and the Kalamas had been named their legal guardians in 2000.

Barbara Kalama pleaded guilty to one charge of first-degree child endangerment and six counts of abuse of a family member.

A third defendant in the case, Rita Makekau, described by Wada as the "worst offender" in the case, has pleaded not guilty to eight charges of second-degree assault on one count of abuse of a family member.

"Life was torture" for the children, Wada said.

"No child should have to endure the cruelties that these children did," she said.

Gabriel Kalama beat one child with a belt "for jumping on a bed" and forced another child to eat a sibling's feces, she said.

Circuit Judge Virginia Crandall set sentencing for the Kalamas for Nov. 24.

Trial for Makekau is now set to begin next month but will likely be delayed, Wada said.