Norristown man charged with murder of unborn child
Robert Wiley, 24, allegedly caused the death of his girlfriend's unborn child in August.
A 24-year-old Norristown man was charged Friday with causing the death of his girlfriend’s unborn baby girl by beating and choking the 26-year-old woman in August, authorities said.
The woman was about 21 weeks pregnant when the unborn child’s father, Robert Wiley, attacked her inside an apartment, said Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Norristown Police Chief Derrick Wood in a news release.
The woman was treated for her injuries at a local hospital, then transferred to Genuardi Family Center for Maternal Health. The baby was delivered deceased on Aug. 19 and named Naomi Hernandez.
An autopsy conducted Aug. 20 could not determine the cause of death pending further testing. Following the test results, forensic pathologist Ian Hood, with the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, ruled that the death was caused by placental trauma.
Wiley was initially charged with aggravated assault on an unborn child and related offenses. On Friday, Wiley was charged with first-degree murder of an unborn child and third-degree murder of an unborn child.
Wiley was being held without bail at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. Court appearances on the new charges are pending.
Authorities alleged that Wiley beat the woman while she was asleep, waking her, and punched her face and kicked her abdomen, while declaring that would “kill the baby.” Wiley allegedly choked the woman to the point of unconsciousness, then continued to attack her after she regained consciousness.