LAWRENCE — A city police detective is free without bail after his arraignment yesterday on a charge of assault and battery during a confrontation with his teenage daughter.
Angel Mejia, 34, was arrested Monday night by Methuen police after they investigated a case in which he allegedly injured his 16-year-old daughter Thursday morning when he caught her attempting to sneak back into the house about 5:45 a.m.
According to police reports, he pushed his daughter to the pavement, where she struck her face and suffered bruises and scrapes, then pushed her up against a garage door, before pushing her up against the refrigerator inside the house.
The girl did not go to school on Thursday or Friday, but when she returned to school Monday, the bruises on her face drew questions from school officials, who contacted the state Department of Children and Families and the Methuen police.
Yesterday afternoon, a small group of Lawrence officers sat in the courtroom in Lawrence District Court to show support for Mejia and his family. Mejia stood behind a door out of view of news cameras.
Judge Mark Sullivan granted the request of Mejia's lawyer, David Timmons, that the officer be allowed to remain out of view of news cameras because of the sensitive nature of his police assignment.
Assistant District Attorney Matthew Hemond, assigned to Peabody District Court, has been brought in to prosecute the case to avoid conflicts of interest with prosecutors in the Lawrence court, with whom Mejia has worked.
Mejia was allowed to remain free without bail, but Hemond asked Sullivan to impose conditions on his release.
In response to Hemond's request, Sullivan ordered Mejia not to possess any firearms and to abide by any plans or orders from the Department of Children and Families.
Sullivan also gave Mejia the "60-day warning" that if he got into anymore trouble or was arrested again during the pendency of his case, he could be held in jail without bail for up to 60 days, awaiting trial.
Sullivan ordered Mejia to return to court Dec. 21.
Timmons declined comment when approached by a reporter and said he had instructed Mejia not to speak about the case.
Outside the courtroom, Lawrence police Capt. David Kelley praised Mejia, who worked for him in patrol and in the information technology division before becoming a detective.
"There is not a better kid on the department," Kelley said. "We had to show support for him and his family, they are going through a rough time right now."
Lawrence police Chief John Romero has said that Mejia has an unblemished record during 10 years on the force — the last three of which have been in the detective unit.
Romero said Mejia will be assigned desk duty pending the outcome of the case.
