HOMESTEAD, Fla. — A 49-year-old man was behind bars on Thursday in Miami-Dade County after hospital staff realized a woman claiming she had fallen was likely a domestic violence victim, according to police.
When the woman sought treatment at Baptist Health Homestead Hospital, she said she had fallen down the stairs. The staff reported their suspicions, and there was an investigation.
Police officers accused David Pena, who was born in Puerto Rico and lives in Homestead, of beating up the woman he has been married to for eight years, according to a police report.
“She was scared to tell police the truth,” a police officer wrote in a report about the Aug. 31 domestic violence incident.
The woman later told a Homestead detective that during a bad fight over infidelity, Pena armed himself with a candle holder, spit at her, and “grabbed her by the neck,” according to the police arrest report.
According to the police report, a detective documented the text messages Pena sent to the victim after the domestic violence -- including one saying, “All this can go away, but it’s up to you. Just don’t report anything.”
Pena faced charges of domestic battery by strangulation, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and tampering with a witness. His bond was $4,000.
More crime in Miami-Dade
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- Murder case in Medley: Fugitive sought
- Fatal deputy shooting in Goulds area
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