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Two charged in beating death of pregnant Pa. woman

Two Charged in Beating Death of Pregnant Pa. Woman
Tovoyia Owens KYW

(CBS/KYW/AP) Two brothers are facing charges in the fatal beating of a 21-year-old pregnant woman outside Philadelphia's traffic court last Monday.

Homicide Lt. Walt Bell says 28-year-old Walter Williams and his 29-year-old brother Robert Canada attacked Tovoyia Owens, who was four months pregnant, on Feb. 7.

According to investigators, Owens went to traffic court with her boyfriend and when the couple walked out of the building, they were confronted by the two men. They began arguing and then punched and kicked Owens to the ground, reports CBS affiliate KYW.

Owens, a mother of 3-year-old girl, was rushed to the hospital where she died of blunt impact trauma to the neck about an hour after the beating. Bell says a long-simmering dispute between Williams and Owens' brother was behind the attack.

Williams was charged with murder and Canada was charged with aggravated simple assault.

According to KYW, Owens was working and studying at Cheyney University to become a lawyer.


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