Mugshot of Lyndy Simon Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — A woman on St. Croix called the police for assistance stating that she was trying to discipline a disrespectful minor. However, further investigation into the matter resulted in the woman being charged with a crime of domestic violence for allegedly strangling the minor with the t-shirt he was wearing.
Lyndy Simon, age 33 appeared before the Honorable Magistrate Judge Ernest E. Morris, Jr. via teleconference on Wednesday for her advisement hearing. According to Judge Morris, Simon previously appeared before a judge upon arrest and bail was set at $500, which was paid in cash.
Simon was charged with second-degree assault as an act of domestic violence. That charge is defined as “whoever willfully strangles or attempts to strangle any person in an act of domestic violence” in the V.I. Code.
According to the probable cause fact sheet, on the morning of Monday, August 23, Simon called the 911 Emergency Call Center to report a minor being rude and disrespectful to her. According to the fact sheet, Simon woke the minor and he had an attitude. He was “talking back” at her, she said. In Simon’s attempt to discipline the minor, she said she slapped him. She then heard a banging sound and noticed that the minor damaged the closet door. Simon then threatened the minor with a kitchen knife, telling him that he will go to the Youth Rehabilitation Center for counseling. When he continued to give her “backchat,” she said she grabbed his t-shirt, wrapped it around his neck, and pulled him towards her in an angry manner. Simon said she didn’t realize it was so tight around his neck.
In the fact sheet, the minor stated that the shirt was wrapped so right around his neck that he was grasping for air to breathe. When he begged for Simon to lose him, the minor said Simon kept adding force to the shirt. He said he became weak and felt dizzy as a result.
Witnesses at the scene of the incident recounted similar accounts of the events to detective Moses Francis of the Domestic Violence Unit, as stated in the fact sheet.
According to representation by the Office of the Territorial Public Defender, Attorney Kathryn Slade informed the court that the Department of Human Services (DHS) is involved in this matter. Judge Morris said that he would make no ruling relative to supervision with the minor victim and would allow DHS to make their own determinations in that regard.
Judge Morris maintained that Simon be released on the posted $500 bail. Additionally, she can have no unlawful contact with the victim and witnesses in the matter.
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