Pregnant woman on Hilton Head injured in assault

A man punched his girlfriend, who was seven months pregnant, in her eye on Hilton Head Island last week.

The woman had “extensive injuries” and her eye was “completely closed and bruised,” according to a report from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. The man was arrested on the charge of second degree violence on Thursday, the day the alleged assault occurred.

The man was upset about doing chores like laundry and dishes, and he told the police “that’s not what a man should be doing,” the report stated.

The two began arguing. The man said his girlfriend said “mean things,” angering him. The man then grabbed her, the woman said. She attempted to defend herself by “punching and kicking,” according to the report. But then the boyfriend punched her right eye, and she fell to the floor off her bed.

The boyfriend admitted to punching the woman, and he told the deputies he knew that she was pregnant with his child. A witness also corroborated the incident, saying she saw the woman fall to the ground after the man punched her, according to the report.

The woman’s mother called 911 when she arrived at the scene and observed her daughter’s injuries, according to the report. Beyond the bruised eye, further details about the woman’s injuries were unavailable.

This story was originally published July 4, 2017 at 7:14 PM with the headline "Pregnant woman on Hilton Head injured in assault."