Man Charged With Beating Pregnant Girlfriend, Killing Unborn Baby
Updated 07/18/13 - 10:03 a.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 23-year-old man has been charged with beating his pregnant girlfriend so badly, she lost her nearly full-term baby earlier this month.
Jovanny Martinez was arrested Tuesday, after his 25-year-old girlfriend identified him one of the people who beat her more than a week ago, as she was walking in the 4800 block of South Laflin Street.
Police said the woman was walking down the street around 11 p.m. on July 8, when a group of men and women approached her, and exchanged words. The group then attacked her, knocking her to the ground, and beating her on her arms and stomach, according to police.
The woman was 7 ½ months pregnant at the time. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where her baby was stillborn the next day. An autopsy determined the baby died in the womb as a result of the beating.
Martinez has been charged with one count each of homicide of an unborn child, aggravated domestic battery, and aggravated battery of a pregnant victim. He was due for a bond hearing at noon Thursday.
Earlier, police said the beating was gang-related.
