Man allegedly beats up 60-year-old mother, shoves 70-year-old father

A 31-year-old man who is allegedly mentally ill reportedly beat up his 60-year-old mother and pushed his 70-year-old father to the floor when the father tried to pacify him at their home in Sadog Tasi last July 5.

Christopher Nelsin Seidler was arrested and taken to the Superior Court for a bail hearing last week on charges of assault and battery, disturbing the peace, domestic violence, and senior citizen physical abuse and/or mental cruelty.

A police officer observed what appears to be scratch marks on the mother’s left eye and nose, and noticed swelling on her left upper cheek.

According to police detective Harley Derbai Eriich, the CNMI Department of Public Safety dispatch unit received a report last July at 2:58pm about a disturbance at the victims’ house in Sadog Tasi.

Eriich said the preliminary investigation showed that Seidler had been agitated on that day, saying that enemies were out to to kill him. When the mother asked him who was trying to kill him, he got more agitated and grabbed his mother by the hair. Seider then dragged his mother to the garage where he slapped and punched her repeatedly. The father intervened and told Seidler to get off from his mother. The defendant, however, allegedly shoved his father to the ground.

The mother, who was bloodied with the injuries, later managed to dial 911 for assistance. Seidler went back inside the house and locked the doors.

The police officers that responded arrested Seidler and brought him to the Commonwealth Health Center for psychiatric evaluation. Seidler was then held for 72 hours for observation at CHC.

Seidler was set to appear for a bail hearing before Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo last week Thursday, but he was allegedly not cooperating with Department of Corrections officers. After being informed of the situation, Govendo reset the hearing to the following day, Friday, last week, before Judge Joseph N. Camacho.

At last Friday’s hearing, a DOC officer informed Camacho that Seidler refused to appear in court. Camacho instructed the DOC officer to use necessary non- lethal force to secure and bring the defendant to court in 30 minutes. The DOC officer later came back with the defendant. Camacho then held the bail hearing. He ordered that the bail shall remain at $7,500 cash and set the preliminary hearing for today, Friday, at 10am.

Assistant attorney general Steven Kessell appeared for the government. Assistant public defender Carrie Comstock was appointed as counsel for Seidler.