Man Arrested For Abusing Girlfriend, Kids In SE OKC

An Oklahoma City man is facing domestic abuse charges after an alleged incident involving his girlfriend and her two small children at a home on the southeast side of the metro, Sunday morning.

According to the police report, the woman said her live-in boyfriend, 21-year-old Christopher Yahola, woke up in a foul mood and started verbally attacking her and the children. She said her 2-year-old daughter was upset because of the yelling and was crying on the couch.

Yahola then grabbed the little girl by her arm and pulled her up into the air, before slamming her back down onto the couch, according to the mom. She then said he began to grab the little girl by her hair and shook her head around violently.

The mom said she got in the way of Yahola, and tried to use her own body to shield her daughter. She said then Yahola got a broomstick from the kitchen and tried to hit the little girl again. The mom was still protecting her daughter, and she said Yahola struck her in the arm with the broomstick.

Afterward she said Yahola told them all to leave, and while she was preparing to, Yahola got angry again at a comment she made to him and kicked her 3-year-old son in the chest. The woman said she was then able to gather up the children and went to a friend's house where she called police.

The woman told police that this wasn't the first time Yahola had struck the kids. Officers noted bruising on both of the children's legs, as well as red welts and cuts. The woman said Yahola usually uses a belt to strike the children.

After meeting with the mother and her children, officers arrested Yahola. He was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on one count of Domestic Abuse in the Presence of a Minor and one count of Child Abuse. A bond has not been set at this time.