Northern Ireland man charged with murder of woman and her preborn child

A Belfast, Northern Ireland man is behind bars and facing charges of killing a pregnant mother in June 2025. According to reports, he also faces charges for the "destruction of her unborn child" — charges which Belfast Live reports are "rarely seen."

Key Takeaways:

• Zak Hughes is facing charges of murder and destruction of an unborn child for the June 2025 death of Sarah Montgomery.

• The destruction of the unborn child charge is reportedly "rarely seen."

• Montgomery, the mother of two children, was "heavily pregnant" when she was murdered.

The Details:

Zak Hughes, 28, has been charged with the murder of Sarah Montgomery, 27, in June 2025. Montgomery, the mother of two other young children, was found dead at her home on the afternoon of June 28. News reports from the time describe her as "heavily pregnant."

Because Montgomery's death resulted in the death of her preborn child, Hughes has also been charged with the "destruction of an unborn child," a charge defined as: “with intent to destroy the life of a child capable of being born alive, by a willful act caused a child to die before it had an existence independent of its mother.” Both charges carry a penalty of life in prison.

Hughes, who was "known to the victim," was arrested shortly after the crime occurred. His defense lawyer has stated, “[J]ust for the benefit of everyone, the defendant does not dispute that he is responsible for what occurred.”

Following Montgomery's death, hundreds of mourners turned out at a local memorial. Her church also released a statement mourning the loss of both her and her preborn child.

"'The tragic nature of Sarah's death, compounded with the loss of her unborn child, can only add to the immense sense of grief that her family and friends will be feeling," the statement read. '"Sarah was a very loving daughter to her late parents, a caring and devoted mother to her own children and a great support to her brothers and elderly grandparents."

The Bottom Line:

Sadly, homicide remains one of the leading causes of death for pregnant women. Though there was no motive mentioned in this case, many of these women are killed in domestic violence situations, especially after refusing to succumb to pressure to abort their preborn children.