Elizabeth Rae Justice

WARSAW — A Warsaw woman was recently arrested after allegedly strangling and battering a child.

Elizabeth Rae Justice, 45, 208 N. Fort Wayne Ave., Warsaw, is charged with strangulation, a level 6 felony; and domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor.

On Dec. 4, 2019, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department went to a residence in regards to a runaway report. Upon arrival, the officer was told by Justice that a child had left the house.

According to court documents, the officer smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from Justice and noticed her eyes were bloodshot. Justice told the officer she had taken the child’s phone as punishment for being expelled from school and that the child took her phone and refused to return it. Justice also said she eventually got the phone back but said the child had choked her. The officer didn’t notice any marks on Justice at the scene.

Later, dispatch was advised that the child was at an undisclosed location requesting medics for injuries. The officer spoke with the child, who said Justice had been drinking all day and was agitated. Justice then went into the child’s room and jumped on them, holding the child by the neck in a chokehold. The child was able to take a picture with a cellphone while this was occurring. The officer noticed scratches and marks on the child’s hands and neck.

The officer took the child to speak with Justice about the altercation. During the discussion, Justice’s story changed and there were inconsistencies in what occurred. Justice also admitted to using a chokehold on the child.

Justice was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Feb. 3, 2020, with a $2,750 surety and cash bond.