KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Alice Janssen spoke from her heart outside of a Kalamazoo County courtroom.
“I would just like to tell the community thank you so much for your prayers, and for the leads that brought Art back to Kalamazoo,” Janssen said.
Moments before, she watched her daughter’s boyfriend face a judge via video on some serious charges.
Arthur Payne, 41, was arrested for brutally beating his girlfriend on March 28th.
“[She sustained] tremendous amount of facial injuries and she was basically beaten to a pulp,” Paul Matyas, Kalamazoo County Undersheriff said.
A neighbor found hair and teeth inside the home after the beating. The sheriff’s department says this is the worst case of domestic violence they`ve ever seen.
The 33 year old victim was listed in critical condition and upgraded to serious condition. Her family spoke outside of the courtroom. Her mother has an urgent message for victims of domestic violence.
“Stephanie’s situation may have been an extreme beating, but there are women at the shelters around this nation that are facing the very same thing,” Janssen said.
“And I just wanted to say to those women who are still in those situations, ‘Don’t give a second chance. Get out of the situation. Don’t let this happen,’” she pleaded.
Payne is in the Kalamazoo County Jail on $100,000 bond.
