GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Feb. 26, 2014)- An alarming case of domestic abuse led to an arrest that friends of the alleged victim have been pushing for for months.
This latest attack could put the suspect behind bars for a quite a while, too.
Detective Sergeant Kristen Rogers with the Grand Rapids Police Department says it’s not the first time Valentino Gomez has physically abused his girlfriend.
Rogers says the couple has been together for several years and have children together.
“In June of last year, they were involved in an incident of domestic violence where he actually proceeded to cut a lot of her hair off,” Rogers said.
In October, police say Gomez broke the victim’sjaw. They say she lied to investigators, covering for him.
But, when the attack happened Tuesday night, there were witnesses leading to Gomez’s arrest in a hotel parking lot.
Police say Gomez pulled the victim out of her car, assaulted her then abducted her in his vehicle.
Rogers says she sees it all the time, women afraid to leave or report abuse, then lying to police to protect their significant other.
“The ideas of control and power and the victim feels they can`t leave,” Rogers said.
She says abusers can beat victims down so severely physically and emotionally that they feel they have nowhere else to go.
Rogers says this case serves a warning to seek help.
You can find information on domestic violence and help available, here
