Arizona woman critically injured in alleged attack by fiancé before wedding
Arizona police say Emily Byles was stabbed and beaten by her fiancé, Zachary Velasquez, about a month before their planned wedding. The attack left her in critical condition and required surgery; the case also highlights how her 11-year-old daughter’s call to 911 brought officers to the scene.
According to court documents, the attack happened on 5 October, about a week after Byles moved to Glendale to live with Velasquez. Police allege he was on methamphetamine and told her he was a prophet and that it was God’s plan for her to die; her injuries included a deep neck wound that damaged a vertebral artery. Velasquez is in jail facing charges including aggravated assault, intimidation and disorderly conduct, while Byles is recovering from surgery and her daughters are staying with family.
In short
- Arizona woman was critically injured in an alleged attack by her fiancé.
- Her 11-year-old daughter called 911 after hearing screams.
- The fiancé is in jail facing multiple charges.
Explained simply
Glendale is a city in Arizona, in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Emily Byles had recently moved there to live with her fiancé, Zachary Velasquez; they were due to marry about a month after the alleged attack.
Police say Byles suffered serious injuries, including a wound to her neck, and needed surgery. Her 11-year-old daughter called 911, bringing officers to the scene. Velasquez is in jail facing charges, and the allegations have not been proved in court.
The case involves alleged violence within a relationship and the response of a child who sought help in an emergency. Byles is recovering, while her daughters are staying with family.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Woman looking forward to her wedding distraught after fiance attacked her with pair of scissors, cops say”.