PASADENA, Texas — Prisca Mendoza was allegedly brutally beaten by her children's father last week, and she is sharing her story with hopes that she can help others escape domestic abuse.
It’s been days since this violent incident happened, but the remnants of the violence are still written on Mendoza's face.
“I got 17 stitches for that," Mendoza said.
Mendoza said she was out with her friends last Thursday night when she saw him – Heriberto Morantes, the father of her four children. The two of them had been fighting.
“He was mad so I stopped answering my phone," Mendoza said.
She says he’s been aggressive and controlling before, but what happened next – she never expected.
“He took me to my truck and just shoved me inside my truck," Mendoza said.
She says Morantes drove off, and, for the next hour, Prisca says she was beaten.
“While he was driving, that’s whenever he started hitting me, telling me, why wouldn’t I answer my phone, where was I at? Who was I with?” Mendoza said. “The last thing he hit me with was a Yeti cup, like on the side, right here on my head.”
She truly thought she was about to die.
“Even he said, 'I’m going to have to kill you. I’m going to have to kill you,'" Mendoza said.
She says even through all of that, he blamed her.
“He was like 'oh my God, you see what you made me do? This is all your fault,'" Mendoza said.
Prisca said she told Morantes she’d forgive him and run with him to Mexico.
“He was like 'oh you’re still going to forgive me, you’re still going to be with me after what I just did to you?' And I was like 'yes, let’s just go,'" Mendoza said.
She says she eventually convinced him to pull over to get her something to drink, but when he walked into the gas station, she left.
“That’s when I just jumped in the driver’s seat, and I took off," Mendoza said. “I remember I hit the curb, and I just kept on driving. I kept on driving until I found the next gas station.”
When she stopped, a complete stranger sat with her until police arrived.
“He was like 'oh my God child, what did they do to you?'" Mendoza said.
Eight hours and 17 stitches later, she left the hospital.
It’s happened before. Court records show Morantes was even wearing an ankle monitor when it happened last time. One, Mendoza said he cut off after all this happened.
Prisca’s back home but still bruised. She said this was the last time.
“I always had plans of leaving him, but I would never do it," Mendoza said.
And she wants others to know, they too can get out.
“Make a plan, make a plan see where you’re going, what are you going to do and everything and then, just leave. Get out," Mendoza said.
Houston police are looking for Morantes. He is charged with two felony counts: aggravated assault of a family member and violating a protective order.
If you have any information on where he is, call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.
