A 20-year-old Maricopa man was arrested Friday after police said he kicked, choked and threatened to murder his ex-girlfriend while her baby was nearby.

Maricopa Police Department officers responded to a Rancho Mirage home on Santa Barbara Avenue just after 4 p.m. They were responding to a report of a man kicking, choking and threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend. The woman told police she was hiding in a closet with her baby and was afraid to leave because she might anger him.

When officers entered the home, they found Robert Cota in the master bathroom with the door closed. Police had a brief showdown, ordering Cota outside. He was eventually arrested without incident. The woman and the child were located safe in another bedroom.

Police said Cota admitted to arguing with his partner a

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