KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — An anonymous call to police for a welfare check on a woman later led to the arrest of a Heiskell man on aggravated kidnapping charges. The caller had told dispatch an altercation between the man and a woman “sounded bad.”

An arrest report states when police arrived for the welfare check just after 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 21, they observed the suspect, identified as Robert Taylor, 55, of Heiskell, peek out of the window after police had knocked on the residence door for several minutes. The woman came near the door and told police she was OK. The door remained unopened.

A responding officer told the woman he needed to “put eyes on her to confirm her status,” and after several moments the officer asked that the door be opened. The officer heard Taylor telling the woman not to open the door, but the officer told him to stop preventing her from opening the door. Once the woman opened the door and stepped out, the officer saw that she had a swollen lip and blood in her mouth.

Taylor told the officer the bruising on her lip was chocolate and the red liquid in her mouth was red juice. The woman told the officer Taylor had refused to allow her to leave when had tried leaving earlier. The officer asked how she got her injuries to her face and she told the officer Taylor had put his knee on her mouth. Taylor denied touching her, but as he was being taken into custody, said he had put his hand over her mouth to keep her from yelling.

The officer read Taylor his Miranda rights and was transported to the detention facility.

The woman was given a domestic blue card and she refused to be taken to the hospital or a safer location. Officers also advised Taylor not to return to the property or he would be arrested for criminal trespassing. He is charged with aggravated kidnapping and is scheduled to appear in court in January.

Knox County and the City of Knoxville officer 24-hour confidential domestic violence helplines:
Family Violence Helpline 865-521-6336 
Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee 865-558-9040, Crisis 865-522-7273