Oklahoma Mother Dies After Escaping Allegedly Abusive Husband By Jumping From Moving Car

An Oklahoma mother either jumped from or was pushed out a moving car on Tuesday morning, leading to her death, and police are still trying to determine exactly how the incident happened. Her friends say she’d been abused by her husband for years.

KFOR reports that Brianne King, 33, died after being ejected from the passenger side of a car being driven by her husband, Michael Muller. The ordeal happened near I-44 and May Avenue, in Oklahoma City. Friends say that King had been abused by Muller for years, and they aren’t sure whether he pushed her out or she intentionally jumped out. Either way, they are demanding answers and want Muller held accountable.

One of King’s friends, Samantha Searle, recalled how big her friend’s heart was, and how despite her best efforts in her marriage, Muller continued to emotionally and physically abuse her.

“She had a big heart, and she was always smiling when I saw her. We were her family. He tore her down from the strong-willed person I knew. He made her believe that she was a horrible person.”

Searle said the abuse happened whenever Muller lost his temper, which could be at any time, even in front of their five children.

“These babies talk about how their daddy hurt their mommy, like it’s a normal part of life that’s supposed to happen. I watched him smash her face against a wall, causing three of her teeth to loosen and one to fall out.”

Searle, along with another of King’s friends, Jennifer Morgan, tried a number times to get King and her children away from Mullen. Their efforts were unsuccessful.

“I just wish there would have been some way to break her to where she… break her from him,” said Morgan. “She told us lots of times she was going to die. She was afraid.”

Brianne King dies after jumping from a moving car to 'escape her abusive husband' | Daily Mail Online https://t.co/4TPvNdsQS7

— John Wilson (@JohnWilson) October 23, 2016

Prior to King’s death, Mullen already had a number of charges against him, including child abuse and domestic violence. He’s currently behind bars on an outstanding warrant. Although he hasn’t yet been charged in Mullen’s death, authorities are suspicious of the incident. They think Mullen flung herself out of the car after King started hitting her or insulting her (or both) while he drove down the interstate.

While police continue to investigate the incident, Mullen’s friends continue to spread awareness about his abusive ways.

“I watched him smash her face against a wall, causing three of her teeth to loosen and one to fall out,” Searle said.

According to a GoFundMe page, set up to help pay for King’s funeral expenses, she died after sustaining a severe head injury after she left the car.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the U.S., and the statistics and facts on these often unreported crimes are sobering. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), someone is abused by an “intimate partner” every 20 minutes. Domestic violence has dropped significantly over the past 10 years, but it’s evident that it still happens, and it occurs more often that many people might realize.

Over 38 million women have experienced domestic violence at least once in their lifetime. On average, three women are killed each day by a current or former male domestic partner. Yet, men are often abused more than women. However, while men tend to abuse women both physically and emotionally, women generally abuse men emotionally through taunts, threats, insults, and name-calling.

Around one in seven men are abused by their female domestic partners at least once in their lives. In gay and/or bisexual relationships, two in five men will experience domestic violence at the hands of a current or former partner. These numbers are likely much higher, since so many people, especially men, never report the incidents.

Police are still piecing together the details and hope to have answers for King’s family and friends soon.

[Featured Image by the Oklahoma City Sheriff’s Office]