A 13-year-old boy is being praised for stepping in to protect his mother after authorities say his father tried to strangle her during a violent domestic dispute.
According to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded Monday night to a home where an argument between a couple escalated into a physical assault. Investigators say the man, identified as Daniel Hernandez-Lopez, allegedly attempted to strangle his wife during the confrontation.
Officials said Hernandez-Lopez later went outside the home, where he was confronted by the couple’s 13-year-old son. The situation quickly turned tense when Hernandez-Lopez allegedly lunged at the boy and tried to strike him with a bicycle.
Authorities say the teenager fought back, punching his father several times in the face. Deputies believe the blows may have knocked Hernandez-Lopez unconscious before law enforcement arrived at the scene.
Investigators reported that Hernandez-Lopez appeared to be heavily intoxicated and possibly under the influence of narcotics at the time of the incident.
He was arrested and booked into the Baldwin County Jail, where he now faces charges including domestic violence and strangulation, according to officials.
No serious injuries to the mother or the teen were reported, though the case highlights the dangers of domestic violence and the extreme situations families sometimes face behind closed doors.
Authorities have not released additional details about the ongoing investigation.
