A New Mexico man was arrested on domestic violence charges after his victim's children passed off a note to their bus driver that said she was in trouble.
The Las Cruces Police Department said the woman, who was not identified, suffered through a night of brutal beatings at the hands of her boyfriend, 40-year-old Erik Alvarado, last Thursday (April 22). The assault took place in the presence of the woman's toddler and two school-age children.
Officials said that Alvarado allegedly took away her cellphone to prevent her from calling for help. The next morning, she wrote a note about the abuse and gave it to her two kids, instructing them to hand it over to their bus driver.
When the bus driver read the note, they immediately called 911. When officers went to check on the woman, she had "multiple cuts, bruises, and abrasions consistent with her claims of physical abuse," the department said.
Authorities located Alvarado and took him into custody for questioning. He was charged with three third-degree felony counts of aggravated battery against a household member. Two of the charges were for the suffocation of the victim, and one count was for strangling her. Alvarado was also charged with misdemeanor counts of battery against a household member and deprivation of property.
He is being held at the Dona Ana County Detention Center without bond.
Photo: Las Cruces Police Department