Newport Woman Arrested in Two Separate Incidents on Monday

NEWPORT, RI -- Nikole Julia Amaral, 24, of Newport, was charged with simple assault and battery on Monday shortly after 6 p.m.

According to the police report, a neighbor and another woman knocked on Amaral's door to alert her to the fact her 3-year-old son was outside unsupervised and the boy had unleashed the woman's dog.

Amaral allegedly became angry, and a fight started. Police arrested her. Before taking her into custody, they asked who would care for her three children, who were home. Amaral replied her step-father, Kevin P. Robbins, would watch the children. However, police determined Robbins, 41, was wanted on bench warrants from the Second and Third District Courts. He was taken into custody.

Police contacted the biological fathers, who took the children.

Later that night, Amaral was arrested again and charged with domestic felony assault.

Witnesses called police around 9 p.m., saying she was armed with a knife and chasing a man, later identified as James Bartlett, the biological father of two of Amaral's children.

They described her as running outside and attempting to smash his lawn mower. Then, she allegedly used the knife to stab at his vehicle's tires. He drove away, however.

Bartlett told police he was unharmed and did not want to press charges against her. However, police later issued a warrant for his arrest for a domestic disorderly.

Amaral told police he'd attempted to break into her apartment by pulling out the air conditioner. He then allegedly entered and used a baseball bat to smashed an aquarium. Police said they found the broken aquarium in a dumpster outside.