Cops: Man's assault on pregnant girlfriend killed their baby
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- A Montgomery County man was charged with murder Friday, nearly three months after his unborn daughter died.
Robert Wiley, 24, is accused of assaulting and strangling his girlfriend on Aug. 18, when she was about 21 weeks pregnant, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said in a news release.
Authorities say Wiley woke up his girlfriend, beat her, kicked her in the abdomen and body, and threatened the unborn child. The attack didn't stop until family members returned home, the statement says.
That day, the woman sought treatment for her injuries at a hospital, doctors could not detect a fetal heartbeat.
The next day, the baby was born deceased and named Naomi.
"This attack on a pregnant woman by the baby's father is the most horrific effect of domestic violence. This vulnerable and defenseless woman awoke to a beating that ultimately killed her baby," District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement. "We must protect the most vulnerable in our communities—women, children and unborn children. Sadly, in this case, all we can do is seek justice for baby Naomi."
On Nov. 15, 2022, a pathologist with the county coroner's office completed autopsy test results and found Naomi was killed as a result of her father's alleged attacks on her mother.
Wiley is in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility pending an arraignment.
If you or someone you know needs is experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 800-799-7233.
