A man from Berlin, Pennsylvania, has been apprehended and is facing multiple felony charges, including aggravated assault of an unborn child, following an alleged attack on a pregnant woman. Andrew Ashurst was taken into custody on Tuesday, with additional charges including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint, simple assault, and harassment, as per the information provided by law enforcement.
The Somerset County District Attorney’s Office disclosed that Ashurst allegedly assaulted the pregnant woman after a verbal altercation. The authorities have not yet revealed the identity or age of the victim.
The assault reportedly involved Ashurst pushing the woman into a toilet, causing her to hit her head. He is also accused of striking her in the appendix area, dragging her by her hair around the house, and hitting her in the face with a cell phone. It is further alleged that Ashurst prevented the woman from calling for emergency help when she started going 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 arrested and transported to the Somerset County Jail, where he is currently awaiting his arraignment.
District Attorney Molly Metzgar expressed her shock and outrage following Ashurst’s arrest. She empathized with the vulnerability of a woman and her unborn child and expressed her disbelief that anyone could endanger their lives. Metzgar pledged to prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law, describing the allegations as unfathomable.