Police say Kennewick man took off with his son after beating his girlfriend

A nationwide warrant was issued Tuesday for a Kennewick man who took his 3-year-old son after allegedly beating and strangling the child’s mother and starting a fire inside their apartment.

The whereabouts of David Mendoza Ayala or his son weren’t known one day after the father drove off with the toddler on his lap.

Mendoza Ayala told his girlfriend that he would take their son to California, according to court documents.

Mendoza Ayala turns 23 on Friday.

He now is charged in Benton County Superior Court with first-degree arson and second-degree assault. Both charges include a domestic violence allegation.

Said boyfriend is controlling

Officials said they sought the nationwide warrant with $100,000 bail because even though the child is with his father, they’re concerned for the young boy’s safety.

Police responded to the couple’s 130 S. Conway Place home on Monday after getting a call about an alleged domestic violence.

Officers found the girlfriend crying with visible red marks on her face and neck, court documents said.

It took the woman some time to calm down enough to speak. She reported that Mendoza Ayala took her phone from her while they were in the apartment because he was controlling, documents said.

Mendoza Ayala began yelling at the woman and hitting her, then grabbed her by the throat as she tried to get away, prosecutors allege.

He squeezed the woman’s throat and cut off her air supply for about a minute, so she struggled to breathe, court documents said.

‘Should have killed you’

When he finally let go, Mendoza Ayala allegedly said, “I should have killed you.”

She later got her hands on Mendoza Ayala’s phone and called her own mother, asking her to call police

Mendoza Ayala again beat his girlfriend when he learned she’d used his phone, documents said. Then, afraid his girlfriend’s family would show up at their apartment, he allegedly forced her into a vehicle and drove away.

Later back at the apartment Monday, the girlfriend tried to make up to Mendoza Ayala by cleaning, but he again became angry.

Set fire to clothes

Mendoza Ayala then set fire to some clothes inside the apartment, court documents said.

He tried to force his girlfriend back into the vehicle, but she refused, so Mendoza Ayala again beat her, documents said.

The woman took advantage of a passerby intervening outside and tried to get away with her son. But Mendoza Ayala noticed, grabbed his son and drove off, documents said.

Police put out an alert to other law enforcement agencies to help locate Mendoza Ayala and his vehicle.