Man Allegedly Throws Pregnant Girlfriend Off Third-Floor Balcony; Arrested

A 26-year-old man was arrested for allegedly throwing a pregnant woman off the third-floor balcony of a North Carolina apartment complex.

The Fayetteville Police Department responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at Stewarts Creek Drive at around 1:11 a.m. Thursday, the Fayetteville Observer reported.

Officers captured the suspect, Thurman Lesley Brewer, while he was attempting to flee the scene. They eventually learned Brewer threw the victim from a third-floor balcony. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

"A search of the area in an attempt to locate the victim resulted in her being located approximately 20 feet into the woodline, suffering from severe head trauma," the police department said in a statement on Facebook. "Emergency Medical Services were requested to respond immediately and the victim was transported to the hospital by EMS in critical, life-threatening condition."

There were five children, aged 4 or younger, inside the apartment when the pregnant woman was thrown off the balcony. The children did not sustain any injuries in the incident and were placed in their relatives' care.

The police noted that this was "not a random act of violence."

Brewer was placed in the Cumberland County Jail on charges of attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, battery of an unborn child, and 5 counts of assault inflicting serious injury in the presence of a juvenile, the police department added.

The unidentified victim was five months pregnant, a relative told WRAL News. The unmarried couple shared three children together, according to neighbors. They reported of hearing what appeared to be a heated scuffle between the duo before the pregnant woman was thrown over the balcony railing.

"We heard the fighting. We heard the arguing," Roland Purdy, who lives in the apartment below, told the outlet.

"I heard her yelling, 'stop, please,' yelling his name to stop. And I could hear him hit her. He slammed her and she started screaming," an unidentified neighbor told ABC11.

"I feel absolutely disgusted and horrid," said another woman. "Because it's like ... any man hitting a woman, or any woman hitting a man, you shouldn't just be putting your hands on anybody. It's simple as that. If you're mad about something, just walk away."