[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
One woman’s Bumble date on Christmas Eve turned into a nightmare when a man kidnapped and assaulted her for nearly a week.
According to court documents obtained by CBS News, the unnamed victim met 21-year-old suspect Zachary Mills on the dating app and agreed to go to his apartment in Spring, Texas, on December 24. Once they were inside his place, she claimed he immediately tried to have sex with her. When the woman turned down his sexual advances, police said “he immediately began to physically assault her and would not let her leave the residence.”
While being held captive, Zachary would strike her with his closed fist or “he would grab a screwdriver and would strike her with the handle” whenever his hands got tired. He also would bite her neck and face, and sexually assaulted her “multiple times leading to serious bodily injury.” On top of the physical and sexual abuse, Zachary did not allow her to have any food or water. So, so horrific…
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It was not until five days later that the victim was able to “escape.” When Zachary went to his dad’s house on December 29, the affidavit states she sought help from the first people she saw:
“At that point the complainant gathered up her clothes and ran out the door and contacted the first people who she came in contact with and advised them of what had occurred.”
Authorities arrived at the scene, and she was taken to the hospital with “severe bruising to both eyes, bite marks and cuts to both her throat and nose, and severe bruising to majority of her body.”
Zachary was arrested and booked into Harris County Jail on first-degree aggravated kidnapping. Constable Mark Herman shared that additional charges potentially will be filed later on. The suspect was released on a $50,000 bond but is under GPS monitoring and 24/7 house arrest. He was also ordered to stay away from the victim and her family, and cannot go 200 feet of where she lives, works, or attends school. His attorney, Chris Denuna, told People he pleaded not guilty, saying:
“Obviously, they are very egregious allegations. I have not received any discovery or evidence from the district attorney’s office yet. Until then once we receive that discovery then we will have a better idea which direction this case is going. In the meantime, as the constitution and due process provides he is presumed innocent.”
Following the crime, Bumble issued a statement to KPRC, saying:
“We are shocked and saddened to hear about this horrible crime. We blocked this member as soon as we were made aware of this situation and in accordance with our Community Guidelines. We also have a dedicated law enforcement team available to respond to any requests from law enforcement as needed. We are dedicated to building a community where our members feel safe to make connections and build meaningful relationships. Every member of our community is expected to adhere to our guidelines anytime they’re using Bumble. Any profile that violates our terms or guidelines may result in getting blocked from the app for good.”
Zachary’s next hearing date is scheduled for March 3. Our hearts go out to the victim following this terrible situation.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.
[Image via Harris County Constable Precinct 4]
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