A New Mexico man allegedly attacked his wife after she refused to be intimate with him, then made disturbing statements to their children about what could happen if the couple separated.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, Alfred Sanchez allegedly told the children that if they were to have a new father, “the new dad was going to rape them.”
Authorities say Sanchez, 37, attacked his wife at their Las Cruces apartment while their children were present. The woman told police that he became enraged Sunday night after she declined his sexual advances.
The affidavit states that the wife was not feeling well enough to be intimate, which allegedly caused Sanchez to become extremely upset. She told officers that he berated her for about three hours.
The document alleges that Sanchez approached her, forcibly removed her eyeglasses, and threw them to the ground. He then allegedly placed one hand around her neck, squeezed, and pushed her into the couch. The woman said she instructed her five children to go to their room.
Investigators say Sanchez then pushed her down, pinned her with his body, struck her repeatedly, and slammed her head into the ground twice. The affidavit notes that the woman began experiencing a panic attack, prompting Sanchez to briefly stop, apologize, and leave the apartment.
However, authorities allege that he later returned and kicked in the front door to confront her again. The woman managed to escape and ran to a neighbor’s home.
During the initial incident, the woman was reportedly on the phone with her sister-in-law, who told police she heard Sanchez make several alarming statements. According to court documents, he allegedly said that if they divorced, the woman would have to exchange sex for child support, blamed her for his past arrests and job loss, and asked whether she wanted him to kill her and the children. He also repeatedly spoke to the children about what could happen if they had a new father.
Police interviewed some of the children and the sister-in-law about the incident. According to the affidavit, the couple’s 9-year-old daughter said she heard her parents arguing and saw her father push her mother. The child became emotional and was unable to provide further details.
Investigators say the couple’s 6-year-old son told them that his father broke the door and fought with his mother. The child reportedly made motions indicating punching and elbowing while describing the incident and said he saw his father throw his mother to the ground.
Sanchez was arrested and charged with aggravated battery against a household member resulting in great bodily harm, along with four counts of battery against a household member, according to court records. He was ordered held without bond following a court appearance in Las Cruces Magistrate Court.
Records also indicate that Sanchez has an open case with the New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department and previously faced a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Additional details about his family case have not been disclosed.
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