West Allis woman accused of beating, torturing 3-year-old, and this isn't her first brush with the law



MILWAUKEE CO. (WITI) -- A West Allis woman faces 13 felony charges -- accused of abusing and torturing her boyfriend's three-year-old son. The boy can no longer walk or talk -- and a criminal complaint issued against Garcia said doctors determined it was unknown whether the boy would even survive -- or what his long-term prognosis would be. Now, we've learned of another victim -- a man who claims 32-year-old Jennifer Garcia tried robbing him at gunpoint.

That man still gets emotional when talking about his near-death experience on Milwaukee's south side. He's now learned the woman accused of pulling a gun on him is also accused of torturing and nearly killing a three-year-old boy.

"I hear 'hey,' and the sound of a gun cocking. I kept walking and I said 'oh no,'" the man told FOX6 News.

FOX6 News is not naming the man -- to protect his identity. His nightmare began in June of 2003. The woman holding a sawed off shotgun into his ribs 11 years ago: Jennifer Garcia.



Garcia now faces 13 felony charges -- accused of beating and burning her boyfriend's three-year-old son Tramonte. Tramonte's family members say the boy cannot walk or talk.

"I said 'yeah, this is the girl that tried to rob me 11 years ago,'" the man FOX6 News spoke with on Tuesday, July 22nd said.

That man tells FOX6 News the charges filed against Garcia in the child abuse case remind him of that day 11 years ago, when he was walking to work near 12th and Washington.

He says he remembers passing a group of people.

A criminal complaint filed in that case says Garcia pulled a gun on him.

"She cocked it again. She came up to me close by and she poked me in the rib to get my attention. I turned around and she cocked it a third time. It was a sawed off shot gun, 12-gauge, and she said 'get down on the ground,'" the man said.

The victim grabbed the gun, knocked Garcia away and ran.

He says 12 to 15 other young people ran after him.

"I panicked. I just turned and ran as fast as I could. My heart was beating real fast. I could hear the footsteps behind me on the cement going 'boom, boom, boom' and I said to myself 'I don't think I'm going to make it,'" the man said.

The group of young people beat the man and left him for dead. He managed to stagger into a restaurant for help.

"The toughest thing about that time is not knowing if I would live or die. If the beating would have lasted for another 45 seconds, I wouldn't be here right now. I would be dead. I would be in the grave," the man said.

Garcia was sentenced to 189 days in the House of Correction for her role in the man's beating.



"I'm thinking, she didn't show any remorse at all. 11 years ago when she had me almost beaten to death, she didn't care if I died back then. What makes you think she's going to care about this kid?" the man said.

Garcia will be back in court on the child abuse charges next month.

 

The family of the three-year-old boy has set up an account to help pay for his care. It is the "Justice for Tramonte" fund -- and donations are being accepted at any U.S. Bank branch.

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