A 19-year-old man was arrested on Sunday after holding his girlfriend captive in her dorm room for three days in Minnesota, prosecutors say.
On Thursday, Labatte arrived at the university to see his girlfriend, whom he had been dating for two months, according to the criminal complaint. While there, he allegedly discovered texts, pictures and social media posts that “infuriated him,” prompting the suspect to allegedly unleash a weekend of physical and sexual violence on the unidentified woman.
Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office
Labatte took her phone away and raped her, the victim told investigators, according to the complaint. Labatte also choked her until “she was unable to breathe, felt lightheaded and saw stars,” the complaint states. He then threatened to kill her and her family, the complaint states, and “reminded her that she knew what he had done to a prior girlfriend.”
St Catherine University Campus Minnesota USA.Alamy
Alamy
The complaint described the victim as “feeling terrified to the point that she would just lay next to Labatte and not move for fear of what he would do to her.” The victim also said she was punched numerous times in the face and stomach, per the complaint.
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Labatte’s bail was set at $100,000, according to the probable cause statement. He appeared before a judge on Tuesday, perKSTP, and his next court date is scheduled for Oct. 9.
“First, we would just like to say we are grateful that this woman is still alive,” Joe Shannon, communications program manager for Violence Free Minnesota, said, per KSTP. “If you think a friend or family is going through abuse or violence like this, reach out to them, let them know you are there to listen and support them. Don’t say what they should or shouldn’t do, just let them know you are there to support.”
St. Catherine University and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. It is unclear if Labatte has retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
