39-year-old Braden Barry remains jailed on a $10,000 bond, charged with aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, after a neighbor noticed his girlfriend appeared to have been beaten. The victim was eventually able to whisper for someone to call the police, after Barry said his girlfriend was “on punishment” and not going anywhere.
Metro Nashville Police responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in Nashville. Upon arrival, police knocked on the door and made contact with Braden Barry, and the victim who was standing behind him. She had a swollen face, bruising, and disheveled hair. There was no one else in the residence at this time and Braden was detained at that point. There was a belt on the couch next to the front door. Officers then spoke with the neighbor, who called in to report the incident. The neighbor reported that she was sitting on the front steps of the complex when she saw the victim walk by with a swollen face and bruises. She asked the victim if she was ok or if she needed to go anywhere. Braden then walked out of the apartment holding a belt and said, “she’s not going anywhere, she’s on punishment,” and the two walked back inside, according to an arrest warrant.
Braden and his girlfriend often washed their clothes at the neighbor’s home, and later while over there, the neighbor once again asked the victim if she was ok, to which she whispered: “call the police.” The officers spoke with the victim and she said that she was afraid Braden might kill her. She also told police that she can “handle the beatings” and she knew why she “was on punishment.”
She refused to elaborate and was extremely uncooperative, police say. She had a large, new bruise on the back of her upper left shoulder, her face was heavily swollen, and she had bruising beneath both eyes. Her injuries were consistent with being hit by an object, according to an incident report. Due to the visible injuries, victim and witness statements, and no one else occupying the residence at the time, Braden was taken into custody and transported to booking.
Braden Barry was charged with aggravated assault with serious bodily injury and remains jailed in lieu of a $10,000 bond.
