Woman arrested for allegedly whipping teen with belt, causing 'major' injury

IDAHO FALLS — A 43-year-old woman has been charged with a crime after a 17-year-old reported she was beaten with a belt.

Alejandra Adriana Molina-Perez was charged with serious injury to a child, serious injury to a child and misdemeanor violation of a domestic violence protection order.

Saturday, around 6:50 p.m., an Idaho Falls police officer was dispatched to a home after a report of child abuse.

According to court documents, the reporter said he received emails from the 17-year-old victim.

The victim's emails stated that Molina-Perez “dragged me inside by my hair, broke my (expletive) claw clip, then hit me on the (expletive) couch with all her force by my hair and proceeded to (expletive) take his belt and literally beat me with it…I have a BIG** bruise on my arm bro…”

The victim also sent photos of the injuries. Police reports state that “the biggest concern is a significant contusion to his upper left arm” that extended “from the bottom (of) the shoulder to the mid-tricep area.”

The wound was “a black and purple color covering much of his skin.” There were also reportedly “several other bruises on (the victim's) body, including another large cluster across the lower back/torso up to the thigh/waist.”

Officers also learned there was an active no-contact order against Molina-Perez that protected the victim and her family. Molina-Perez was not supposed to be at the victim's home.

When they arrived at the victim's home, officers were informed that Molina-Perez and the victim were not there.

They then received a call from the report's author, who said they received another email from the victim, saying she was at home with Molina-Perez but “was told to be quiet because the police were present.

Eventually, Molina-Perez and the victim came out of a back bedroom and officers, along with Child Protective Services, began questioning everyone in the house.

According to the victim, Molina-Perez was home when she arrived Thursday evening and the two began arguing.

Molina-Perez allegedly “grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her into the residence.” She then took her to the back of the couch in the living room, removed a belt, “grabbed her by the buckle and used it to whip (the victim).”

Child Protective Services took photos of the injuries and police interviewed the victim's guardian. He told police he was in his room with another child, but said he “was not aware of any physical altercation between (the victim) and (Molina-Perez).”

He later admitted to police that the commotion “woke him up and there was a belt involved.” He told police the sound of the belt woke him up.

According to police reports, another child in the home later told the officer he saw Molina-Perez “standing over (the victim), holding her by the belt and whipping her.” The child said it was “upsetting and it happens frequently” and said he, too, was hit with a belt by Molina-Perez.

The officers then spoke to Molina-Perez, who only speaks Spanish, so another officer was asked to translate. Police say Molina-Perez said he yelled and “reprimanded” the victim during an argument.

She admitted to grabbing the victim's hair and threatening her with a belt. She told police she “whipped the belt but hit the side of the furniture where (the victim) was sitting.”

Molina-Perez was then arrested and booked into the Bonneville County Jail. A removal order was obtained for the two children in the home and they were released to Child Protective Services for emergency placement.

Molina-Perez was ordered held on $25,000 bail and a no-contact order was issued. She is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on June 12.

If convicted, she faces up to 12 years in prison and a $61,000 fine.

Although Molina-Perez was charged with these crimes, that does not necessarily mean she committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.