A Washington, D.C. man faces serious criminal charges after allegedly breaking down his girlfriend's apartment door, assaulting her, and grabbing their infant daughter by the neck. The incident resulted in the child's hospitalization.
Police responded to the girlfriend's residence after she reported the forced entry and physical attack. Authorities say the man violently entered the apartment without authorization and attacked the woman. During the assault, he allegedly seized their baby daughter by the neck, causing injuries severe enough to require medical attention and hospital admission.
The man reportedly made death threats before leaving the scene, stating he would return with a gun to kill the occupants.
The incident involves multiple serious felony charges. The forced entry constitutes burglary or unlawful entry. The assault on the adult victim constitutes domestic violence, a felony under D.C. Code Section 22-3601. The physical abuse of the infant daughter constitutes child abuse, which under D.C. Code Section 22-4001 carries enhanced penalties when the victim is a child and the injuries are serious.
The threats to return armed constitute additional criminal counts. Under D.C. Code Section 22-407, making threats to injure another person with a deadly weapon constitutes second-degree threats, a felony.
Domestic violence cases in D.C. Superior Court typically involve bail hearings where prosecutors present evidence of dangerousness and ties to the community. The presence of a child victim and explicit threats to use a firearm substantially increase the likelihood of detention without bail. Courts apply the Risk Assessment Guidelines under D.C. Code Section 23-1331 to determine flight risk and community safety.
Child protective services typically initiates investigations in cases involving child abuse allegations, potentially affecting custody arrangements. The case demonstrates the intersection of domestic violence law, child protection statutes, and criminal threatening charges in D.C. courts.
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