SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A man is accused of breaking into his wife's apartment on Christmas and rubbing his feces-covered underwear in her face so she couldn't breathe.

Matthew Stewart

Syracuse police said in court documents that around 7:50 p.m. on Christmas Day 32-year-old Matthew L. Stewart broke into his wife's apartment on Polk Street by breaking a living room window with his hands.

Stewart is accused of getting into a "physical altercation" with his wife while his 2-year-old daughter was nearby.

At one point, police said, Stewart pushed his feces-covered underwear into his wife's face so she could barely breath. He is accused of saying "Smell it, smell it," before shoving his wife to the floor.

Police said the woman hurt her knees in the fall.

Stewart was charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree harassment, fourth-degree criminal mischief, criminal obstruction of breathing, and endangering the welfare of a child. He was arraigned in Syracuse City Criminal Court and ordered held without bail at the Onondaga County jail, where he remains.