Pregnant Woman Allegedly Attacked and Punched in the Stomach While She Was Going to Give Birth

A Pennsylvania man is accused of brutally attacking a pregnant woman, hitting her in the stomach and pushing her into the toilet while the woman was in labor at the time.

The woman was attacked in her home in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Somerset County District Attorney’s Office In the statement made on Tuesday, December 24, it was stated that the incident took place on December 19. Daily American.

Andrew Ashurst faces multiple assault charges, prosecutors say.

The assault stemmed from a verbal argument, according to the DA’s office, and Ashurst allegedly “pushed the pregnant victim into the toilet, causing her to hit her head, hit her in the area of ​​her appendix, dragged her around the house by her hair, slapped her, and “hit her in the face with a cell phone.”

When the woman went into labor in the middle of the attack, Ashurst did not allow the woman to call the police, authorities allege.

Investigators said responding officers found him with multiple bruises on his back, arms, eye, cheek and forehead.

It was not immediately clear how the victim and suspect knew each other.

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District Attorney Molly Metzgar said the allegations were “incomprehensible.”

“As a mother, I understand the vulnerability of a woman and her unborn child and I am appalled that anyone would endanger the lives of these two individuals,” she said in a statement.

Ashurst was charged with aggravated assault on an unborn child, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint, simple assault and harassment, according to online court filings reviewed by PEOPLE.

He is being held on $50,000 bail. Online court records did not include attorney and defense information.