An Athens man stands accused of severely beating and cutting his 21-year-old girlfriend, beating and threatening to kill her 2-year-old daughter and then forcing both to stay all day in a shed has been charged with multiple counts of kidnapping and abuse.

“The child in this case has a possible skull fracture, a broken arm and multiple bruises on her face and body,” Police Chief Floyd Johnson said Wednesday afternoon. “The mother has multiple bruises all over her body, cuts and puncture marks.”

Both victims were transported by ambulance to Athens-Limestone Hospital emergency room. The child was later flown by MedFlight helicopter to Huntsville Hospital. Their conditions were not available Wednesday evening.

The accused, James Lynn Johnson, 28, of 1412 N. Houston St., was arrested Tuesday night on two counts of first-degree kidnapping, one count of torture/willful abuse of a child – non-family, domestic violence by strangulation and two counts of second-degree domestic violence, records show. He was booked at the Police Department and transferred to the Limestone County Jail, where bail is set at $115,000. However, it is unlikely he will be released soon. An official said $40,000 of the set bail can be posted only in cash and the Limestone County Community Corrections Program for violating conditions has placed a hold on the accused.

Woman details alleged crime

The police chief released details of the alleged attacks Wednesday afternoon but withheld the names of the victims, which is customary.

On Sunday, Johnson came to the victim’s home at Woodridge Apartments, accused her of having an affair and began beating her with his hands, a wrench, a screwdriver and a necklace, the chief said. Johnson also cut her and stabbed her with a screwdriver, the chief said. She told officers that at one point Johnson forced her to take three Xanax pills. She told officers she did not know what Johnson did to her daughter but she could hear her child screaming from a separate room. She also told officers the child was forced to stay in a closet.

Early Tuesday morning, she said Johnson forced her and her child to leave the apartment and walk with him to North Houston Street. There, she said he forced her to stay in an outside storage shed by threatening to kill her daughter if she left or contacted police. About 11 p.m. Tuesday, the victim looked out of the shed and saw a house with a light on, so she left the shed and went to the house to ask for help, the chief said.

“She asked the occupant not to call the police due to Johnson’s threats to kill her daughter,” the chief said.

The resident, however, called 911 and was connected with the police department. Police arrived to find both victims severely beaten, the chief said.

“The older victim had bruises all over her body and her eyes were both black and almost swollen shut,” he said. “Her daughter had multiple bruises on her face and her face was swollen.”

Police arrested Johnson Tuesday night.