Phoenix police arrested Malik Kyle Bynum on Sunday on suspicion of choking and assaulting a woman while she held their one-year-old baby.

Court documents said Bynum, 23, and a witness arrived at the apartment to see the child he shared with the victim. Bynum got into an argument with the victim about getting back together, and he was jealous of her new boyfriend.

When the victim asked him to leave during the verbal argument, the victim said Bynum grabbed her by the neck with one hand and began to punch her in the head. He choked her for a minute, blurring her vision, according to a probable cause statement police filed in court.

The victim got away, and Bynum reportedly pushed her to the ground, so both she and the baby hit their heads on the floor. Bynum strangled her with two hands, she told police.

Bynum demanded the witness take the baby from the victim, said documents. The witness picked up the baby and went into another room.

The victim managed to get up, but Bynum grabbed her from behind, threw her on the ground where she landed head first and strangled her with two hands again. She also told police he stomped on her. 

The victim told police she pretended to be unconscious and Bynum left.

He returned while officers were investigating and was arrested. He told officers he had come over to negotiate a visitation plan.

He told police heremembered punching the victim but said his adrenaline was high and did not recall exact details.

In another interview with police, Bynum stated the victim hit him during a heated argument, to which he restrained her. He changed his story later with a different demonstration of how he restrained the victim.

Bynum also said his friend, the witness, took the baby so he was not part of the fight and safe. He later admitted the victim was holding the baby during the fight.

Bynum said to police he checked on the victim to see if she was breathing as she laid on the floor.

When an officer told Bynum the victim had injuries consistent with restricted blood flow, he said, “Are you saying I was choking her?”

The baby sustained a scratch on his forehead, which was swollen. A forensic nurse found 21 injuries on the woman, including broken blood vessels on her face and mouth, which is a common sign of strangulation, as well asswelling to her head and jaw and bruises throughout the body.

Bynum was booked for aggravated assault and strangulation with domestic violence, felony child abuse, and trespassing. Bond is set at $7,500.

Reach breaking news reporter Nienke Onneweer at [email protected] or on Twitter @thenienke.

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