Dad imprisons "estranged" wife during child visitation pickup; threatens murder-suicide (Sheboygan, Wisconsin)

I really fear for this woman. Her divorce from BENJAMIN C. RIEMER isn't even finalized yet. It is extremely likely that this coercive violence on her "estranged" husband's part isn't new either. Yet it appears this father had some sort of child visitation rights, as this false imprisonment/battery incident took place as she was picking up their 2-year-old child from a visitation. She's extraordinarily lucky he didn't shoot her to death as he threatened to do in a murder-suicide. And of course, leave a toddler abandoned at a bloody murder scene. Dad could get 4 years in prison for this incident--if convicted. By then, the daughter will be 6. What will this mother do then to secure their safety? Sometimes I think we need a witness protection program so moms like this can relocate out of state with a name change.

Another hat tip to Annie.

http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20100619/OSH0101/100618089/Man-allegedly-imprisoned-estranged-wife

Man allegedly imprisoned estranged wife
Sheboygan Press staff • June 19, 2010

A 29-year-old rural Sheboygan Falls man allegedly lured his estranged wife into his basement with their child’s voice and locked her in a room until she promised to reconcile, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday.

Benjamin C. Riemer, of N4395 Van Treeck Trail, is charged with felony false imprisonment and misdemeanor counts of battery and disorderly conduct. He faces up to four years in prison, if convicted on all counts.

According to the complaint:

Riemer’s wife, 29, came to his house about noon Thursday to pick up their 2-year-old daughter. As she looked for the child outside, Riemer came outside with a “crazy look” in his eyes and told her to get in the house.

The woman said allowed Riemer to herd her inside, but she resisted when he told her to go to the basement. She relented when he told her their daughter was downstairs and she heard the girl’s voice.

When they reached the basement, she discovered the voice was coming through a baby monitor. Riemer then told her, “Oh yeah, you knew you shouldn’t have come down here.”

Riemer pushed the woman into a bedroom and locked the door, taking her phone and throwing it away.

Riemer then told his wife he had been planning this day for weeks and she was not leaving until she agreed to give him another chance. Riemer said he had a loaded gun ready to kill himself if she said no, and he also referenced shooting her.

The wife said Riemer kept her in the room for about an hour, repeatedly pushing and screaming at her as she began to panic and hyperventilate. When she tried to run out, Riemer slammed her into a desk chair and moved a sofa in front of the door.

Riemer let the woman go when she promised not to go through with the divorce. Court records show the couple filed jointly for divorce in March.