Man assaulted girlfriend for days, choked her, threatened to cut her throat, police said

A North Carolina man was arrested after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend for days inside her North York apartment, holding her there so her injuries would heal before anyone saw them, police said.

Travis Kelly, 29, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sent to York County Prison after he was arrested and arraigned Feb. 22.

According to the arrest affidavit filed by Northern York County Regional Police, police were called to York Hospital Thursday night at the request of forensic nurses who were treating an assault victim.

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The victim told police she went to visit family on Monday, Feb. 19, and Kelly, her boyfriend, got into an argument with her because she went to see her family. When she got home, she told Kelly she wanted him to leave her home and she wanted to end their relationship.

The victim told police she packed Kelly's belongings and told him to leave, but he said he was sick. The victim told Kelly that if he was sick, she would take him to the hospital. When she walked out of the room, Kelly followed her and grabbed her by her face and slammed her to the ground. Then, the victim told police, Kelly "got on top of her sitting on her abdomen and placed his hands around her throat and began to choke her."

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The victim told police she couldn't breathe and thought she was close to passing out. She said that Kelly, while he was choking her, said "If I cannot have you then no one can."

The victim told police that Kelly eventually let her up, but made her sit on the couch and told her he would be selling some of her belongings and then they would be leaving. The victim told Kelly she couldn't leave her children, and then Kelly grabbed a knife and began waving it around, saying "You know what I could do with this."

That's when, police said, Kelly cut the throat of a stuffed animal and then tried to grab the victim's cat to cut its throat, but the cat was able to get away. While Kelly had the knife, he told the victim he didn't think they were going to make it through this alive, the victim told police. 

The victim asked to go to the bathroom, and Kelly followed her there. Along the way, he picked her up by the throat and pushed her against a wall until she couldn't breathe, police said.

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The next day, police said, Kelly threatened to tie up and beat the victim. He told her that he would come and find her by any means necessary if she called the police. Kelly took her keys and phone and wouldn't let her leave her house because he wanted her injuries to heal so no one would see them. The victim said she was finally able to convince Kelly to take her to the hospital on Wednesday for abdominal pain.

Once the victim was at the hospital, the police were notified. The victim told police she was worried that Kelly would try to get her children as a way to get to her.

Police arrested Kelly. They found him in possession of the victim's keys and cellphone.

Kelly was charged with strangulation, terroristic threats, simple assault, false imprisonment and harassment. He was sent to York County Prison after he was unable to post $100,000 bail. 

Kelly's preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 8 in front of District Judge Jennifer J.P. Clancy. 

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