A jury deliberated for about 5 hours Tuesday before convicting a Merrillville man of aggravated battery for beating and choking a pregnant woman in March.

Malik M. McKee, who was also convicted on three counts of domestic battery, will be sentenced on July 16.

The charges stemmed from a March 5 incident where police responded to a domestic battery call.

According to the probable cause affidavit, a witness told police that the woman’s eye was swollen shut and gave her a note, saying, “If anything happens to (me), Malik McKee..(killed me).” When police arrived at her house, the victim opened the door, crying and asking officers to get her away from the house. McKee was still inside and she was afraid he would kill her, records state.

Further investigation revealed that McKee had gone on a “Xanax bender,” staying in a hotel in Illinois for four days, during which he hit the woman where her injuries could be covered. Upon arriving at home, he punched her in the face until he knocked out her teeth and caused a gash on her eyebrow, the affidavit states.

She sought hospital treatment for the injuries but lied to the doctor that she had hit her face on the counter and didn’t call police. She found out she was pregnant at the hospital, court records state. When she told McKee the news, he punched her in the eye and threatened to kill her and the baby before choking her until she passed out.

Meredith Colias-Pete contributed.