An Illinois man shot his 14-week-pregnant wife during a heated verbal argument, killing the couple’s expected child, according to a Wednesday news release from Des Plaines police.
Amal Reji, 30, was arrested on charges of attempted murder and intentional homicide of an unborn child after he allegedly confessed to the shooting.
On Monday at around 7:30 p.m., Des Plaines police responded to a call about a shooting in a church parking lot. Officers then came upon Reji and his wife, 30-year-old Meera Abraham, who was in the back of their car with several gunshot wounds.
Reji told officers that he and Abraham had earlier begun arguing about finances at home, with further investigation showing that the couple left the residence to continue their quarrel on a drive, according to the news release.
The two continued to argue until their car approached an intersection and Reji allegedly pulled out a Glock handgun to fire multiple shots at his wife.
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Police said Reji immediately pulled into the church parking lot and asked a stranger to call 911.
Officers at the scene gave Abraham medical care until the Des Plaines Fire Department transported her to a local hospital. Abraham survived the shooting and remains in intensive care, though she lost her pregnancy, the news release said.
According to research cited by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, approximately 324,000 pregnant women are abused each year in the United States, with risk factors for intimate partner homicide including a partner having have access to a gun.
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
