SNOHOMISH, Wash. — Police were called to the home after the victim’s husband, 58-year-old Shaun Horn, called 911 and said his wife’s leg had been broken three days ago.
A Snohomish County deputy said when he arrived at the couple’s home, Horn took police to an upstairs bedroom where his wife was lying on a couch.
Officers said the 51-year-old woman had a black eye, there was a large discolored area on her left shin and her tibia appeared to have a slight curve.
Deputies said the woman was panicked and said ‘Help! He wouldn’t let me call! I need help!’
The woman told officers that on Wednesday at 1 a.m., she and her husband got into an argument in their bedroom. She told officers she took Horn’s cellphone and he punched her in the face 10 times, lunged toward her and fell on top of her.
She said when she fell onto the floor with one leg on top of the other, she heard a snap and felt pain. They continued to wrestle on the ground and she broke Horn’s phone in half.
According to police documents, the victim told officers she then sat on the floor for hours, unable to move. She said she told her husband her leg was broken and asked him to call for help because she couldn’t move and was in pain.
Horn, who had her cellphone, refused to call for help, saying her leg was just swollen and she should wait for the swelling to go down, according to documents. He also said that if she left or if he called for aid, he knew he would go to jail, the victim said. Though she told him she would say her injuries were an accident, she said he still refused to go for help.
In the morning, Horn helped her onto the couch because she couldn’t get up herself. She said she screamed for help until her voice was hoarse, but no one heard. She said she spent Wednesday, Thursday and nearly all of Friday begging her husband to call 911.
She said she was unsure why Horn finally called Friday night.
She was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.
Horne was arrested and booked into the Snohomish County Jail.
Police recommended he be charged with second-degree domestic violence assault, unlawful imprisonment and interfering with reporting.