By The Star Staff
San Juan Superior Court Judge Joie Lin Lao Meléndez on Wednesday determined cause for trial for domestic violence against Elianni Bello Gelabert, who was accused of assaulting her partner and an eight-year-old daughter of the injured party on Dec. 30.
The accused woman will face trial for aggravated abuse in violation of article 3.2, subparagraphs (a) and (d), of the Law for Domestic Violence Prevention and Intervention. The provision makes it an offense when ill-treatment is committed in the couple’s home or the place where they are housed, and the ill-treatment is committed in the presence of a minor or minors.
An indictment hearing was scheduled for next Monday at 9:30 a.m. The trial is scheduled to begin on May 17.
The San Juan Prosecutor’s Office requested a preliminary hearing to re-present evidence related to a charge of child abuse against the woman.
“Although the court found cause in two modalities of domestic violence, it did not determine cause for the crime under Law 246 of 2011, but we requested an appeal hearing to present it again because we believe that we have the required evidence to show that the accused also assaulted the minor,” said prosecutor Rebeca Matos Guzmán, who presented the evidence.