HOT SPRINGS — Another person has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and assault of a woman who authorities said was held captive for three days and beaten and abused.

Oliver Vaughan Archie, 21, of Hot Springs, was charged with felony counts of kidnapping, punishable by up to life in prison, and second-degree battery, punishable by up to six years in prison. Erica Lynn Gonzales, 22, also of Hot Springs, was arrested Monday on identical charges. Both suspects are being held without bail and are scheduled to appear Dec. 4 in Garland County District Court.

According to Hot Springs police reports, the victim, 40, was held against her will from the evening of Nov. 16 until she escaped Monday afternoon and called for help.

She told police that the couple picked her up from her residence on Higdon Ferry Road about 3 p.m. Nov. 16 and took her to their residence to “hang out.” A few hours later, they got angry at her and accused her of being “a snitch.”

Authorities said the woman told them she had been beaten repeatedly, made to take off her clothes, hit with a hammer several times in the face and body, and tied up with a rope and chain and shut up inside a small closet.

At one point, authorities said, the victim was drugged with some kind of powder and unknown drink after which the victim “only remembers bits and pieces.”

According to police, the victim heard the couple arguing Monday about getting rid of her and she saw Archie holding a large stick. She told authorities that Archie seemed reluctant to kill her, arguing that she “had kids,” but Gonzales said, “What about my kids? We have to get rid of that b!”

The victim told police Gonzales forced her back into the closet and blocked the door with a large dresser, but she was later able to force the door open enough to get out and climbed out a window to escape.

Police later searched the suspects’ residence and found several items of evidence consistent with the victim’s account, including a debit card belonging to the victim.

The police report said the victim’s face was severely swollen and bruised, and both eyes were purple and swollen. She also had red marks around her throat, bruises and abrasions on her arms and bruises, red marks, small cuts and burn marks on her legs.

Arkansas, Pages 12 on 11/24/2012