An Ocala woman was charged for the second time this year with battering a pregnant woman.
Tracy Michelle Morris-Gore, 49, told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that she “popped” the victim with a hairbrush during an argument about the victim’s boyfriend bringing his dog into her house. Morris-Gore, who was charged with aggravated domestic battery of a pregnant victim, said she didn’t know the victim was pregnant, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said she went to Morris-Gore’s home on Sunday to pick up her infant child. She said her boyfriend was with her and took his dog inside. The victim said Morris-Gore doesn’t like it when her boyfriend brings his dog inside the house because she believes it is an aggressive pitbull, the report said.
The victim said Morris-Gore began screaming at her boyfriend about the dog. She said she defended her boyfriend and an argument ensued. The victim said as she went to walk away, Morris-Gore struck her twice with a brush in her neck area. She said her boyfriend was outside when she was struck but her sister saw the incident. The victim said she is seven weeks pregnant and that Morris-Gore knew it, according to the report.
The victim’s boyfriend said Morris-Gore started yelling him about the dog being in the house and that he walked outside. He said he didn’t see her strike the victim. The victim’s sister said Morris-Gore and the victim were in each other’s faces arguing when Morris-Gore struck the victim with the brush, the report said.
Morris-Gore said she doesn’t like the dog being in the house because it has attacked people in the past. She said they started arguing and she got upset with the victim, so she “popped” her with the hairbrush in the face and neck area. Morris-Gore said she wasn’t in fear of the victim and was just upset with her, according to the report.
The deputy conducted a records search that revealed Morris-Gore has a previous conviction for battery in 2001. Marion County Jail records show she spent five days behind bars in June on a charge of aggravated battery of a pregnant victim. She’s being held this time on $5,000 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on Nov. 26.