A Massachusetts man has been arrested for assaulting pregnant 18-year-old Kylee Monteiro, who’s been missing in the city of Rehoboth for nearly two weeks.
Gregory Groom, 22, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and battery on a pregnant person, domestic assault and battery, and intimidation of a witness for acts allegedly committed against Monteiro the day before she went missing, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
Though authorities have not publicly confirmed how Groom is connected to Monteiro, her family has said he’s her boyfriend, according to WCVB.
Police said Monteiro, who’s 12 weeks pregnant, was last seen on Aug. 7 in Rehoboth, near the border with Rhode Island, about 11 miles from Providence.
The charges against Groom stem from an alleged incident that occurred the night before she went missing. Police offered few details, though her family told WCVB that she got into an argument with Groom and feared for her safety.
Police on Tuesday said they’d received a tip to search a wooded area near Groom’s residence, but did not give information on the tip. His family reportedly owns 26 acres of woods, much of it undeveloped, according to CBS Boston.
Footage obtained by WPRI shows officers carrying large evidence bags out of the residence as police dogs scoured the woods nearby. The search appeared to primarily focus on a red shed on the property.
“I’m scared, I’m really scared,” Monteiro’s sister, Faith, told reporters as the search continued. “I don’t know if they have her, but some part of me feels like they do.”
Groom is currently being held without bail and will be arraigned Wednesday morning in Taunton District Court.
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