By Bonnie Culverhouse
A Minden Police Department check of a woman’s wellbeing has led to the arrest of a local man for battering his partner with a child in the residence.
Freddie Nolan, 36, of the 600 block of Evans St., Minden, was arrested for domestic abuse battery with strangulation and child endangerment.
Chief Jared McIver said Off. Cadyn O’Connor was dispatched to a Pine Street residence around 9 p.m. Monday, November 20, in reference to a welfare check reported by a concerned third party.
“Off. O’Connor arrived on scene and made contact with the victim who was slow to answer his knocks on the door,” McIver said. “When she saw it was an officer, she visibly relaxed but would not speak above a whisper.”
O’Connor reportedly asked the victim to step outside to his unit. The female said she had her one-year-old child with her, and she was instructed to bring the child.
“The victim showed Off. O’Connor marks on her neck consistent with strangulation,” said the chief. “While they were walking to the police unit, a male, later identified as Freddie Nolan, exited a vehicle parked in the driveway. The officer noticed the smell of burnt marijuana as he approached the vehicle. Nolan told the officer he was “just chilling in the car.”
Nolan gave permission to O’Connor to check his pockets, where he reportedly found car keys.
Once O’Connor was placed in the police department unit, O’Connor continued to talk with the victim.
“She stated that before she left for work that morning, Nolan grabbed her by the throat and continued to squeeze to the point where she could not breath,” McIver said. “The small child was in the victim’s arms at the time. The victim broke away from Nolan’s grasp, fled the house and went to work.”
The victim said when she arrived home from work, she believed she was alone in the house with her child, but when she walked in her daughter’s bedroom, Nolan was behind the door. A verbal argument ensued.
“Nolan asked her to exit the front door with him, but when he walked out, she closed and locked the door behind him,” said the chief. “She believes Nolan went to the back door, which she said was likely unlocked, and gained entrance.”
McIver said the victim phoned the unknown friend who contacted MPD. Afterward, she reportedly showed Off. O’Connor argumentative text messages the occurred throughout the day, as well as photos she took after leaving the residence that morning.
“Off. O’Connor asked if she wanted medical attention, but she said no, she lost her voice earlier in the day but it had returned,” said McIver. “No injuries to the child were reported.”
The victim reportedly told the officer she had been in a relationship with Nolan since August, however, she wanted to end it after an unreported incident where he ripped out her earrings. The victim also stated Nolan was not on her lease to the house but had spent the night about 20 times since August.
Nolan was arrested and booked at Minden Police Department before being transported to Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.