An Idaho man was taken into custody on Tuesday, accused of assaulting both a woman and his infant child, authorities reported.
Officers from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a domestic disturbance call, where they encountered a woman in distress, fleeing an apartment with her two crying children. The woman informed police that Carlos Swearingen, 23, had been drinking heavily through the night. She alleged that he became violent after opening some mail, threatening to harm two family members, according to a report by East Idaho News.
As officers approached the scene, they heard a loud noise coming from inside the apartment. They subsequently detained Swearingen, who was found in his underwear, covered in fresh scratches. Swearingen admitted to shoving the woman but denied further violence. However, the woman claimed that in a fit of rage, he hurled a bowl of onions, hot dumplings, and chili oil at their 3-month-old baby after she voiced her disapproval of his behavior.
According to the woman, as she was cleaning the spilled soup off the baby, Swearingen approached from behind, forcefully rubbing hot chili oil into her eyes and pulling her hair. She reported to police that as she attempted to rinse her eyes, Swearingen struck her on the side of her head, as detailed by East Idaho News.
While leaving the bathroom, the woman pleaded with Swearingen to stop hitting her because she was holding their baby. He allegedly retorted with indifference, continuing the assault despite her pleas.
In a desperate move, the woman handed the baby to her 5-year-old child and assumed a defensive position on the floor. She attempted to retrieve her phone from the living room, but Swearingen allegedly seized it and smashed it against the wall.
The woman said she scratched Swearingen during the assault, and he had put her in a rear-naked choke. The 5-year-old child corroborated many of the woman’s allegations regarding Tuesday’s incident, according to East Idaho News.
Swearingen was charged with attempted strangulation, injury to a child, domestic battery without traumatic injury, and domestic battery or assault in the presence of a child. His bond was set at $75,000.
[Feature Photo: Bonneville County jail]
