An Elkhart man is accused of nearly choking three girls to death and threatening their mother and an aunt.

It was back on Saturday, Feb. 26, when police got calls from the mother of the three girls, ages 5 to 14, and said that Steven Jackson, 49, attacked them.

Officers went to Jackson’s home and found two of the girls outside, barefoot in the cold, and the third girl at a neighbor’s home.

The Elkhart Truth reports Elkhart SWAT team officers entered Jackson’s house and arrested him after he ignored patrol officers who wanted to question him. He was booked in the Elkhart County Jail on $75,000 bond. But that was increased to $450,000 after a judge heard that the girls and relatives still felt unsafe.

Jackson is charged with attempted murder and strangulation. He was given a preliminary trial date in late May.

Read more about the case from the original story published by The Elkhart Truth.