BAKERSFIELD, CA - We have new information about the 16-year-old girl who stabbed her mother's boyfriend in southwest Bakersfield. It turns out this is not the girl's first run-in with Manual Hernandez. Although Bakersfield Police will not confirm this, court documents show the 16-year-old who stabbed Hernandez, called the cops on him when she was eight years old. Both times, Hernandez was accused of beating up the girl's mom.
Manuel Hernandez pleaded not guilty in court Monday to charges of domestic violence and possession of a firearm.
The teen stabbed him last month. Police say she was trying to defend her mother from his abuse. We will not identify the girl as she is a minor in this case. But, in court documents from 2006, her name is mentioned again, as the 8-year-old girl who called 9-1-1 on Hernandez.
The documents show the young girl watched as Hernandez yelled at her mother, hit her, and threatened her. Hernandez served almost three years for that.
Now, he's possibly facing more jail time for more abuse, eight years after the girl who called police, stabbed him for, police say, standing up for her mother
"I think children react in many different ways. We already know children who see domestic violence or witness domestic violence can also be violent themselves," said Carolann Wooton with the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault
The morning of June 29, 2014, a search warrant shows Hernandez's girlfriend told police he hit her several times as they were headed to a bar. Once there, she hid and called her son to pick her up. But, she says Hernandez followed them home. Once home, her son told police he hit Hernandez in the back of the head with a gun and he fell down, unconscious. Her son said that's when his sister stabbed Hernandez in the throat. But, experts say even that might not break the cycle.
"We know a woman will go back to her abuser around seven times. We know that leaving a violent situation is a process," said Wooton.
Hernandez is currently in jail for three felonies including injuring a spouse.
If you find yourself or know someone in a domestic violence situation and need help, you can call the Alliance Against Family Violence at 327-1091.