BROTHERSVALLEY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man is accused of attacking a woman who was in labor in Somerset County.
Court documents say Andrew Steven Ashurst, 25, of Berlin, hit a woman’s head on a toilet, pulled her by the hair around a house and slapped her between Dec. 21 and 22 in Brothersvalley Township.
Police said the woman went into labor on Dec. 22 and that Ashurt hit her in the face with a phone as he tried to prevent her from calling emergency responders.
The victim was eventually able to call 911 and was taken to a medical center. Employees called the police who found bruises on her face, neck and appendix. Charges were filed on Christmas Eve.
Somerset County District Attorney Molly Metzgar issued a statement about the charges saying:
“As a mother, I understand the vulnerability of a woman and her unborn child and I am appalled that anyone would jeopardize the lives of these two people. The allegations are unfathomable and I plan to punish these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”
Ashurst is being held at the Somerset County Jail and is facing aggravated assault of an unborn child, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint, simple assault and harassment charges.
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