A Pennsylvania man is facing a slew of felony charges after allegedly assaulting a pregnant woman, preventing her from calling 911, and endangering her unborn child. Andrew Ashurst was arrested on Tuesday and is facing charges including aggravated assault of an unborn child, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint, simple assault, and harassment, according to law enforcement officials.
The Somerset County District Attorney’s Office reported that Ashurst, a resident of Berlin, Pennsylvania, allegedly attacked the pregnant woman following a verbal dispute. The identity and age of the victim have not been released by the authorities.
The assault reportedly involved Ashurst pushing the pregnant woman into a toilet, causing her to hit her head. He is also accused of striking her in the appendix area, dragging her around the house by her hair, and hitting her in the face with a cell phone. Authorities also allege that Ashurst refused to let the woman call for emergency assistance when she began to go into labor during the assault.
First responders from the Pennsylvania State Police arrived at the scene and found the victim with visible bruises on her back, arms, eye, cheek, and forehead. Ashurst was subsequently taken into custody and transported to the Somerset County Jail. He is currently awaiting his arraignment.
District Attorney Molly Metzgar expressed her outrage following Ashurst’s arrest. She empathized with the vulnerability of a woman and her unborn child and expressed her shock that anyone could endanger their lives. Metzgar vowed to prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law, describing the allegations as unfathomable.