A 21-year-old man from Waco, Texas, is facing charges after allegedly assaulting his pregnant girlfriend following a conversation in which she suggested he might not be the father of her unborn child. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Dominick Rangel has been charged with assault of a pregnant person, a third-degree felony.
The incident occurred on October 21 at the Southwind Apartments on Richter Avenue. Waco police responded to a call around 4 p.m. and met with the victim, who reported that Rangel had struck her multiple times and was “breaking things” in her room. Officers entered the apartment and took Rangel into custody without incident.
The victim, who has been in a relationship with Rangel for five years, told police that she and Rangel share a child together. She recently discovered she was pregnant and told Rangel that he might not be the father of the child. According to the affidavit, this revelation led to an argument between the couple, Local CBS affiliate KWTX reported.
The couple had recently reconciled after a breakup and had moved into the victim’s grandmother’s apartment. On October 20, during a heated discussion, the woman reportedly told Rangel that he needed to leave the apartment. The following morning, while lying in bed, Rangel allegedly asked her what her family would think if they knew she “had a child with another man.” The victim laughed off the comment and reassured him that her family would still support her.
At that point, the affidavit states, Rangel became enraged and punched the woman in the back multiple times. The victim later told police that Rangel had previously asked her if she planned to terminate the pregnancy, and she believed his actions were an attempt to cause a miscarriage.
The woman also reported that before police arrived, Rangel had attempted to steal their son’s Social Security card from her wallet. Rangel was arrested on October 22 and later released on a $5,000 bond. The assault charge against him remains under investigation.