ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A domestic dispute in St. Augustine Beach has culminated in the arrest of 23-year-old Eliana Espel Hernandez, who stands accused of Aggravated Domestic Battery, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon (Domestic), and False Imprisonment after allegedly wielding a knife during an argument over cleaning a litter box.
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According to reports from the St. Augustine Beach Police Department, conflicting narratives emerged from both parties involved in the incident, which occurred around 1:04 a.m. on March 25.
Eliana Espel Hernandez claimed she and 21-year-old Robert Giroux, who had been in an intimate dating relationship and cohabiting for nearly 2 years, engaged in a heated disagreement when Giroux requested help cleaning the litter box in their living room.
Hernandez alleged that the confrontation escalated, resulting in her being struck multiple times and subsequently resorting to grabbing a kitchen knife and instructing Giroux to leave, eventually prompting her to call 911.
However, discrepancies emerged in Hernandez’s account as she was unable to provide specific details regarding the alleged assault and her story changed several times during police questioning.
Contrastingly, Giroux recounted a different sequence of events, claiming that upon his return home, he requested Hernandez’s help with household chores.
Giroux stated that Hernandez responded aggressively, insisting he had not asked properly, which led to him bringing the litter box into the bedroom for her to clean.
Giroux further alleged that Hernandez dumped the litter box contents in the hallway and on his clothing, walking into the kitchen.
When asking Hernandez to clean up the mess, Hernandez reportedly grabbed a kitchen knife, and stated “You clean it or I will kill you.”
Hernandez’s phone was reportedly confiscated as he tried to film the incident.
Giroux told police that he began to clean up the mess due to the repeated threats and took a shower before getting dressed to go surfing.
When attempting to leave, Hernandez grabbed the knife again saying he was not allowed.
Giroux stated that she then began to stab the sliding door with the knife while repeatedly yelling at him.
When stating he was going to call the cops, Hernandez reportedly replied, “No you are not, if you call the cops I’m going to ****ing kill you” while holding the knife.
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The altercation reportedly escalated further, with Giroux claiming that Hernandez threw a frying pan at him, causing injury to his arm. The victim then stated he went to Hernandez, took the knife from her, and left the building to call 911.
Following an investigation revealing inconsistencies in Hernandez’s narrative and physical evidence consistent with Giroux’s testimony, Hernandez was apprehended and transported to the St. Johns County Jail without further incident.
According to the report, Giroux told police past accounts of her assaulting him, purportedly due to her mental health issues.
The case has since been closed, with the St. Augustine Beach Police Department submitting relevant evidence, including audio-recorded statements, a frying pan, and a knife, for further scrutiny.
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