Lehi City News
Lehi Police charge suspect in serious domestic violence case
Jennifer Thomas | Lehi Free Press
On Wednesday, April 29, at 2:15 a.m., Lehi City Police responded to a domestic incident to find an unresponsive woman allegedly strangled by her husband. Following transportation to a local hospital, the victim was stabilized and moved to the intensive care unit.
According to the Lehi Police, “The husband of the victim was taken into custody following an interview and booked into the Utah County Jail on the following charges: attempted homicide (domestic violence enhanced), a first-degree felony; domestic violence in the presence of a child, a third-degree felony; and intoxication, a class C misdemeanor.”
The police released the condition of the victim as “receiving medical care, and her condition remains serious.” Hadley Milner, Communications Coordinator for Lehi City, stated on April 30 that “the victim is alert and responding to medical treatment.”
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services website gives the following information: “Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic (or household) setting, such as in a family or among people who live together. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a subset of domestic violence. IPV is abuse that occurs between people in a romantic relationship. ‘Intimate partner’ refers to both current and former spouses and dating partners.”
IPV includes four types of behavior:
● Emotional abuse is threatening a partner or his or her loved ones or possessions, or harming a partner’s sense of self-worth. Examples are intimidation, name-calling, stalking, or not letting a partner see friends and family.
● Physical abuse is when a person hurts or tries to hurt a partner by burning, hitting, kicking, or using other physical force.
● Sexual abuse is forcing a partner to take part in a sex act when the partner does not consent.
● Threats of physical or sexual abuse, including the use of gestures, weapons, words, or other means to communicate the intent to cause harm.
Domestic violence remains one of the leading causes of homicide in the state. IPV is not a rare event in Utah. According to the Utah DHHS, “One out of every three Utah women experiences intimate partner violence in their lifetime. And IPV is not limited to Utah women. Utahns of all ages and sexes are affected by IPV.”
The Lehi City Police Department encourages anyone experiencing domestic violence to create a safety plan for themselves and any children in the home. Resources are available to provide support and assistance.
For help, call 911 or contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at www.thehotline.org or 800-799-7233. Confidential support is available 24/7 in English and Spanish. Additional resources are available through the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition at udvc.org or 800-897-5465.
A victim advocate with the Lehi City Police Department is also available to assist individuals in connecting with local resources. The victim advocate can be reached at 385-201-1005.
