Charges: 6-Year-Old Calls 911, Stops Assault Of Mother By Father

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Police say a 6-year-old boy's 911 call helped save his mother from an alleged assault inside their St. Paul home.

Gregory Harris is charged with felony domestic assault and violating protection orders in connection to the Sunday incident.

According to the criminal complaint, at 10:32 a.m., the 6-year-old boy called police from his home on the 900 block of Maryland Avenue East in St. Paul. He reported that his father was assaulting his mother.

When police arrived, officers could hear yelling and saw a backpack being thrown from out of the second story deck doors. The boy then ran onto the deck and screamed, "Police, get in here! He's hurting my mom!" Officers could also hear scuffling and yelling from inside, the complaint said.

The boy let police in, but when they headed up the stairs, they heard a loud noise on the deck and saw Harris jump from the deck and flee the scene.

After a pursuit, Harris was tackled and taken into custody, the complaint said.

Police then met up with the 27-year-old mother, who told police that her ex-boyfriend, Harris, showed up announced to see the child, but began assaulting her when she asked him to leave. He allegedly followed her up the stairs, pushed her down on the floor of her bedroom closet, punched her multiple times and attempted to choke her.

The mother added that the boy came to her aid and hit Harris in the back of the head. The boy later said he hit Harris with a receiver and that it made Harris even angrier.

After being hit by the boy, Harris allegedly jumped up and ran after the boy. The mother also jumped up to protect him and fought with Harris. She said she did not know 911 was called.

The boy told police that while his mother and father fought, he hit Harris with a window blind stick. That's when police arrived and Harris attempted to flee.

Harris later admitted to being at the residence, but said that the mother told the boy to call 911 and say that Harris was choking and hitting her.

Harris has two separate court orders that prohibit him from any contact with the female victim.