LA PORTE – Four people were arrested following the severe beating of a man and physical assault of a pregnant woman during a home invasion in La Porte.
According to police, doctors told investigators had the man not been taken to the hospital, he would have died.
Arrested were 39-year-old Mary McGee, 29-year-old Michelle McGee, 30-year-old Don Thomas and 22-year-old, all of Michigan City.
Each of the defendants have been charged with Class D felony residential entry. Police say battery charges were leveled against both women and Thomas. Authorities say the battery charges were elevated to a Class C felony because the woman physically assaulted is expecting a baby.
Police were called to an apartment in the 1700 block of Country Lane Dr. just after 11 p.m. Wednesday. The female victim, Kelly Granzo, told police she answered her door and the four suspects forced their way inside.
Police say Mary McGee allegedly struck the victim in the face with an open hand and when told by the victim she was pregnant landed three more blows with an open hand and fist to her face.
Her boyfriend was thrown down the stairs and at the bottom of the stairwell was hit and kicked repeatedly.
40-year-old Alfredo Ponce was taken to IU Health La Porte Hospital where doctors told officers he would have died had he not received immediate treatment. Police say his injuries included a punctured lung and broken ribs.
With help from a vehicle description, officers quickly stopped the suspects at Lincolnway and Michigan Ave. in the downtown.
Just before the attack, Granzo said her ex-boyfriend told her he was sending family members over because he was upset that she was seeing another man, according to police. ''We believe it to be a boyfriend, ex-girlfriend issue,'' said La Porte Police Chief of Detectives Tom Thate.
Thate said no weapons were apparently involved in the attack.
