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Man said to beat women, dogs
By Lisa Redmond, lredmond@lowellsun.com and Robert Mills, rmills@lowellsun.com
Updated: 02/23/2011 11:03:04 AM EST

LOWELL -- A 34-year-old Lowell man already accused of beating a woman until her nose and wrist were broken was indicted yesterday on new charges alleging he also choked two dogs until their eyes bled, and kicked and punched them until they could no longer move.

Miguel Andino, 34, of Lowell, was indicted yesterday on charges of armed burglary, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, intimidation of a witness, stalking, cruelty to animals and larceny from a building.

No arraignment date in Superior Court has been scheduled as yet.

Prosecutors said Andino began dating the first of two female victims several years ago. During their relationship, the defendant was verbally, emotionally and physically abusive.

The three counts of animal cruelty stem from allegations he beat and strangled three dogs, and put the smallest of them in a dresser drawer for 10 hours at a time.

"He would kick and punch them until they couldn't move, and took several days to recover," said Cara O'Brien, spokewoman for Middlesex County District Attorney Gerard Leone. "He strangled them until their eyes hemorrhaged, and threw one down a flight of stairs."

Andino's alleged abuse of his first victim culminated on Dec. 19, 2010, when Andino is alleged to have shoved the victim into a wall and threatened to "put her in a box."

That woman told Andino to get his things and get out. Andino allegedly threatened he was going to get a gun and kill her and her family. Out of fear, the victim reported the defendant's abuse to the police and obtained a restraining order against him. After Andino left the first victim's home, he allegedly went to the home of the second victim, a friend he had known for several years. The second victim allowed him to keep his belongings and dogs at her house, but he was not allowed to stay. She told The Sun she does not allow men to stay in her home, since she has four children, ages 2 to 13.

On the day after Christmas, at approximately 5:30 a.m., the second victim allegedly woke up to see Andino standing at the end of her bed, touching her foot. Andino had allegedly taken a key to her home and let himself in.

Andino is accused of viciously beating the woman in front of her children, leaving her with fractures to her nose and wrist.

The woman's 10-year-old son locked himself and her 2- and 3-year-olds in a bedroom, while her 13-year-old daughter ran to get help.

"Every time I opened my eyes and said 'please stop' he just punched me in the face," the victim told The Sun in late December. "He didn't get off me and stop beating me until he knew my daughter had called someone.