MADISON, Wis. -- A Columbia County judge ruled on Tuesday that an 11-year-old boy who authorities said was a victim of abuse will not have to testify in person against the four people accused of torturing him and killing his mother.

A judge ruled that the boy, who was found in a closet, can testify via videotape for the preliminary hearing. Columbia County Circuit Judge Alan White said that he has a responsibility to prevent more emotional stress for the boy.

The judge said the boy must be spared the added emotional stress of testifying at the preliminary hearing, because he needs to recover in order to testify when the defendants go on trial.

Police said that the boy endured repeated torture at the hands of the accused.

Katie Day, a Columbia County social worker with Child Protection Unit of Health & Family Services, testified as to the boy's fear of facing the accused.

"He does show more anxiety and is quite focused on asking questions about court, which is because he's stressed about seeing these individuals," Day said.

The boy was found in a Portage home on June 14 after one of the defendants, Candace Clark, was taken into custody on suspicion of abducting her 2-year-old child from protective custody in Lake County in Florida. The boy's mother, Tammy Garlin, was later found buried in the back yard of the home.

Four people are charged with being party to first-degree intentional homicide, false imprisonment, mayhem and other crimes in the case. They include Clark, Michael Sisk, Michaela Clerc and Felicia Garlin.