Fayetteville, North Carolina, police arrested a man Thursday morning after a heated dispute with his pregnant girlfriend ended with him allegedly throwing her from a three-story balcony into the woods.
Authorities charged Thurman Lesley Brewer, 26, with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, battery of an unborn child and five counts of assault inflicting serious injury in the presence of a juvenile, according to Fayetteville police. He is being held on $2 million bail.
A search party found the 22-year-old woman with severe head trauma, the Fayetteville Observer reported. She was admitted to the hospital under life-threatening conditions and was considered to be in critical condition as of Thursday. The five children who witnessed the abuse, all of whom were four years old or younger, were reportedly unharmed and were brought to immediate family members, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Police Say 6-Year-Old Boy Died After Finding Gun Behind Home)
UPDATE: @FayettevillePD has identified the suspect as Thurman Lesley Brewer. He has been charged with Attempted First Degree Murder, AWDWITKISI, Battery of an Unborn Child, and 5 Cts of Assault Inflicting Serious Injury in the Presence of a Juvenile. $2,000,000 secured bail. pic.twitter.com/kQbFHR37Eo
— Fayetteville Police (@FayettevillePD) November 10, 2022
The altercation began late Wednesday night when a neighbor claimed she heard yelling, and law enforcement arrived at the condominium complex at around 1 a.m., ABC11 reported.
“I could hear him hit her,” the neighbor said, according to the outlet. “He slammed her and she started screaming.”
Police were ostensibly unable to get into the unit and were about to leave when neighbors informed that there were children in the room and convinced them to stay, ABC11 noted. “I feel absolutely disgusted and horrid. Because it’s like, I don’t … any man hitting a woman, or any woman hitting a man, you shouldn’t just be putting your hands on anybody,” one neighbor said.
After police made another unsuccessful attempt to get into the unit, Brewer reportedly threw his lover off the balcony. He is being held at Cumberland County Jail, according to the outlet.