A Wichita man will spend more than a decade behind bars for attempting to drown his pregnant teenage girlfriend in a fit of rage after she posted baby shower photos on Facebook that revealed their relationship to another woman he was secretly dating, according to authorities.
Dominic Thomas, who was 19 at the time of the attack, was convicted of attempted first-degree murder following a four-day trial in 2024. He was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 years in prison in connection with the September 2020 assault.
Thomas Sent Threatening Text Messages to the Victim Days Before the Attack
According to court records, Thomas sent a series of threatening text messages to the expectant mother, who was 17 at the time, just days before the attack.
"I sick of living knowing ur in my life so imma do sum bout it," Thomas wrote in one of the texts. Another message read, "It ain't a threat it's a promise," which he followed up with, "And not gone give a single f— about the consequence."
The victim replied, "Well that's something very nice to say to me when I'm carrying your child so if something happens to me he will die with me." Thomas fired back, "No he won't."
Police said tensions escalated after the girl discovered Thomas was dating another woman. Investigators noted that Thomas became angry after photos from a baby shower showing the couple together were posted online by the victim, alerting the other woman to their relationship.
Thomas Told the Teen He Wanted to Go for a Walk with Her, Then Took Her to a Pond Where He Forced Her Head in the Water and Held it Under
The day after the threatening messages were sent, Thomas told the teen he wanted to go for a walk with her. The two met near a local pond, where they talked for about 20 minutes.
According to the police report, Thomas spoke about feeling lonely and suggested he would be going to jail, referring to a meal he claimed was his "last free meal." Shortly afterward, Thomas attacked the teen, placing her in a headlock and dragging her toward the pond before forcing her into the water and holding her head under.
The victim told police she screamed for help and pleaded with Thomas to stop, fearing both for her life and for her unborn child. Thomas later told investigators that he stopped the attack after she mentioned their baby, leaving her at the pond.
Thomas Said He was Upset After the Victim Contacted the Other Female and Informed Her About Their Relationship
The teen reported the incident to police, and Thomas was arrested the following day. During questioning, he admitted he had intended to drown her and said he was angry that she had contacted the other woman to inform her about their relationship.
Thomas told police they stood near the pond for 30 minutes talking about their situation but everything "went in one ear out the other," per the report. "Dominic advised he did not have any intention of trying to drown [the girlfriend] when he went over to her residence, but decided to follow through with his threat once they were by the pond," the report concludes.
Prosecutors said Thomas ultimately decided to carry out his threats once the two were alone by the pond. Thomas, now 24, will serve his sentence in Kansas state prison.
