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Erica Garner's Boyfriend Tried to Kill Her Unborn Child, Prosecutors Charge

By Gwynne Hogan | February 10, 2017 2:22pm | Updated on February 13, 2017 9:46am
 Darren Flowers, 31, was arrested Thursday for attacking Eric Garner's daughter (pictured), prosecutors said.
Darren Flowers, 31, was arrested Thursday for attacking Eric Garner's daughter (pictured), prosecutors said.
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DNAinfo/Nicholas Rizzi

WILLIAMSBURG — Erica Garner's boyfriend was arrested Wednesday after he tried to kill her unborn child by pouring liquid laxative, which he claimed was bleach, down her throat, Brooklyn prosecutors claim.

Darren Flowers, 31, charged into the apartment of the politically active daughter of Eric Garner Monday morning about 7:30, punched her over and over her in the stomach then force-fed her the liquid while her 91-year-old grandmother looked on in horror, police and prosecutors said.

Flowers showed up at the apartment of Erica Garner, 26, who also goes by the last name Snipes, on Boerum Street and started arguing with her, police said. He poured lighter fluid on her computer and TV threatening to set on fire, police said.

Then Flowers also punched the pregnant woman in the mouth and sprayed her face with another liquid, prosecutors said.

Garner, who has been an outspoken critic of police after her father was killed by officers during an arrest for selling loose cigarettes, frantically tried to dial 911 but Flowers grabbed the phone from her hand, police said.

The attack continued with Flowers choking Snipes and threatening her with a gun, police said.

"I have a gun on me and you know that," he said, according to police. Flowers fled the apartment before police arrived, taking her cellphone with him, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney.

Emergency workers took Garner to Woodhull Hospital where she was treated for a bloody lip, burning sensation in her eyes, lightheadedness and pain all over her body, officials said.

Garner took to Twitter to decry what had happened to her earlier in the week, the Daily News reported.

"I was terrified,” she'd tweeted, according to the News. “The baby will be fine fortunately."

The tweets had been deleted from her account as of Friday.

Garner couldn't be reached for a request for further comment immediately.

Flowers was arraigned in Brooklyn Criminal Court on 26 charges, including attempted abortion, assault, strangulation, harassment and trespassing, on Thursday and a judge bail at $20,000. He was being held on Rikers Island as of Friday, corrections records show.

Flowers' Brooklyn Defender attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.