Woman, charged with stabbing boyfriend, barricaded herself in apartment

LACONIA — Police arrested Jessenia Cruz, 40, on Saturday night, alleging that she stabbed her boyfriend and then barricaded herself in her apartment, with a child also inside.

Laconia Police Chief Matt Canfield said his department got a call just after 6 p.m. on Oct. 21, from a relative of a man who, the caller said, had driven himself to the hospital after being assaulted by his partner. The caller also gave the address of the incident.

Canfield said the department sent officers to both the hospital, to interview the victim, and to that address. The department also learned a child was thought to be inside the residence, an apartment at 32 Lyford St.

“We attempted to make contact with the woman inside, several times. She refused to open the door,” Canfield said. Meanwhile, the officers speaking with the victim gathered enough evidence to support probable cause that the woman inside the apartment was responsible for his wounds.

Canfield said the victim had two stab wounds to his upper leg. He described the injuries as serious, but not life-threatening.

At 8:19 p.m., after about two hours of attempting to make contact with the woman, officers forced their way into the building, and arrested Cruz. She was charged with second degree assault and domestic assault, as well as three counts of breaching bail.

The child was not harmed, Canfield said.