Woman texts ‘help’ to 911 to get away from boyfriend

MIDDLETOWN — A woman used text 911 to alert police that her boyfriend was repeatedly strangling her Sunday afternoon, police said.

The woman was able to text the word “help” to 911 as James Brown, 35, of South Main Street was continuously trying to prevent her from leaving his apartment by putting his hands around her neck, police said.

The woman let officers inside the apartment when they responded to the text at around 5:36 p.m. Brown told her to sit on the couch and remain quiet as police were knocking on the door, reports said.

The woman told officers that Brown “was obsessed” with the idea she was going

to cheat on him and was “constantly trying to be in control of her life,” reports said.

On Sunday afternoon, she was trying to leave the apartment when Brown pushed her onto the couch and put both hands around her throat, the woman said. She felt like she was going to pass out, so she hit him in the face so she could break away, she said.

Every time she tried to leave, Brown continued to

put his hands around her neck, she said. He also took away her cellphone to prevent her from calling police and her keys, the victim said.

At one point in the encounter, she was able to text the word “help” to 911 in the hope that police would arrive, reports said. When officers did show up, Brown said they were having “a little argument” but denied that it had become physical, police said. When an officer pointed out that he had an injury to his lip, he said that she had struck him. He later admitted that

he tried to hold her down by her neck, police said, but he didn’t admit that he had choked her several times as she tried to escape.

Brown was charged with firstdegree strangulation, disorderly conduct, interfering with a 911 call, threatening and seconddegree unlawful restraint. He was held on $100,000 bond until his arraignment in state Superior Court in Middletown on Monday.

He was released from custody after posting $50,000 bond following his arraignment, court records show.