A pregnant Washington woman has died five days after she was hospitalized following her husband’s brutal assault.
As People magazine reports, Stephanie Chaipis, 27, of Tacoma, died on Friday, five days after she was hospitalized with head trauma and a possible skull fracture. The mother of three children ranging under the age of 8 was eight weeks pregnant.
According to charging documents obtained by People, police were called to the couple’s home on Monday by a report of a woman in a physical dispute with her partner. Ian Sweeney, 31, reportedly told police that he had taken methamphetamine that day, and had beaten Chaipis and thrown her against a wall. One of the couple’s children witnessed the brutal assault, prosecutors reportedly said.
The suspect at some point during the assault noticed that Chaipis appeared to be seriously hurt and did an online search for how to treat a head injury, according to the report. He did not ultimately provide medical aid but called 911 when she had stopped breathing.
Sweeney was taken into custody at the scene. Prior to his wife’s death, he was charged with assault in the first degree and attempted murder in the second degree with a domestic violence enhancement. The Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office told People that they will be upgrading the charges.
Sweeney has reportedly pleaded not guilty and is being held on a $1 million bond at Pierce County Jail. He is due in court on February 11.
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