Arizona Mother Fights Off Intruder, Claims Attack Was a 'Role-Playing Scenario'
Security footage captures the intense struggle as a Buckeye mother defends herself and her child against a man accused of burglary and assault.
An Arizona mother fought off a man who allegedly barged into her home and attacked her, security footage shows. The incident occurred Friday in Buckeye when Bella Torres was preparing for a Halloween event with her children.
Home security video captured the confrontation, identifying the alleged intruder as Adrian Ayala, 20. The footage shows Ayala entering the home and approaching Torres, who was with her one-year-old daughter. Torres reported that Ayala asked to use the restroom and then immediately lunged at her, grabbing her neck.
"My first instinct is just to protect her," Torres stated, referring to her daughter. The struggle moved through the kitchen and bathroom areas, with Torres alleging that Ayala kicked her daughter and demanded she remove her clothing.
Torres managed to break free and began screaming for help. A neighbor heard her calls and contacted the police. The altercation continued outside, where the security cameras recorded Torres defending herself against Ayala. She shared the video on social media, which led to a relative of Ayala contacting the Buckeye Police Department to identify him.
Ayala was taken into custody but declined to speak with authorities. During his initial court appearance on Sunday, his attorney suggested the encounter was a misunderstanding, claiming Ayala was invited to the home for a role-playing scenario arranged on Reddit with Torres' husband. The attorney stated Ayala believed Torres was consenting to this scenario.
However, a judge found probable cause for several felony charges, including aggravated assault, burglary, and sexual assault. The judge dismissed the attorney's defense, stating, "I don't care if her husband said he could go in there and do that, that's not a defense."
Torres has refuted the claims of a prior arrangement, asserting that Ayala is a stranger to her and her husband. She also noted that neighbors had seen Ayala wandering around other properties in the area before he approached her house.
Ayala was released on a $25,000 appearance bond. Police have seized both Ayala's and Torres' phones to investigate his claims about the alleged planned encounter. Torres indicated she intends to increase her home security with additional cameras.