Erick Clayton Lemley
A Chattanooga man is charged with domestic assault and leaving two children under the age of five alone.
On New Year’s Eve, law enforcement went to Bunker Hill Road and spoke to a woman, who told them she and Erick Clayton Lemley got into an argument the night before. She said the argument became so intense she hid underneath her children’s bed in order to get away.
She told police Lemley said she would “be a dead b****” and that he would beat her.
She said Lemley could not see her under the bed because of how dark the room was, and that he fell asleep shortly after that.
The woman said she fell asleep on the couch, and that she woke him up by coughing. She said Lemley threw a bottle of ketchup at her, and then the two fought. She said Lemley climbed on top of her and she had to cover her face with a pillow to stop him from punching her in the face.
She said her child entered the room, and the argument briefly stopped. She said Lemley did not want to give the victim her car keys, but that Lemley’s mother talked him into it. While she was at work, the victim and Lemley texted.
She said she asked Lemley not to leave the children at home by themselves after he threatened to leave. She said when she came home later that day, the children were asleep in the residence, and that Lemley could not be found. She said his belongings were also missing.
Law enforcement said they found ketchup on the walls, ceiling, and couch within the residence. Police said the two children left at home were under the age of five. Police found Lemley walking in Rhea County, and Rhea County law enforcement took him into custody and transferred him to Hamilton County
Lemley, 33, is charged with one count of domestic assault and two counts of attempted child neglect.