Man who severely beat pregnant girlfriend faces murder charges for causing miscarriage

Charges against a boyfriend who beat his pregnant girlfriend were upgraded to murder after she miscarried their preborn baby.

Key Takeaways:

• An Indiana man with a record of battery and other crimes severely beat his pregnant girlfriend in July, stole her car, and attempted to evade police.

• The man faces multiple felony charges including murder for causing the death of their preborn child; he admitted to having heard the baby’s heartbeat.

The Details:

Reports indicate that on July 29, the victim and her 26-year-old boyfriend, Cortez Morehead, got into an altercation in their home in Gary, Indiana, in front of the victim’s other four children, who were all under the age of nine. Morehead reportedly began to beat the victim, then left the house and drove off in the victim’s car.

The victim called the police, who arrived on the scene and warned her to lock the door in case Morehead returned while they were out searching for him and the stolen vehicle.

After police left, Morehead returned, and became enraged because the victim had locked the door. When the victim told Morehead she had called the police, Morehead reportedly “charged” her and beat her even more severely. She sustained trauma from punches and kicks to her legs, back, hips, stomach, left eye, and face. A portion of her hair from the top of her head had also been torn away.

Reports state that at some point, Morehead dragged the victim across the house. She then escaped outside, screaming for help, with her children following. A neighbor’s doorbell camera confirmed the incident.

Later, the victim was treated at Methodist Hospital Northlake, where it was discovered she had miscarried her baby due to her injuries. 

Police eventually returned to the house when they realized Morehead and the stolen car were there; Morehead fled from officers but was apprehended from a hole in the floor at the back of the home, still holding the victim’s phone and car keys. 

Felony charges and history of domestic violence

Morehead’s initial charges from the incident included felony charges of feticide, aggravated battery resulting in the loss of a fetus, criminal confinement resulting in serious bodily injury, domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury, domestic battery committed in the presence of a child less than 16, intimidation to commit a forcible felony, auto theft of an entire vehicle, and the Class A misdemeanor of resisting law enforcement on foot. The murder charge was added later, on August 4. 

Morehead — who had another warrant out for his arrest involving battery of the same victim and a record of unlawful use of a weapon in Cook County in 2017, admitted he was the baby’s father and had heard the baby’s heartbeat — now faces between 45 and 137 years in prison. 

Yahoo News reports that Myrna Maldonado, spokesperson for the Lake County Prosecutor’s office, responded by email when asked why the murder charge was added less than a week from the initial event. “This is a deeply sensitive case, and out of respect for the legal process and those affected, we will not be providing further comment at this time,” Maldonado said.

The first court hearing was August 5, led by the Lake County Prosecution Office. 

The Bottom Line:

Homicide is one of the leading causes of death among pregnant women. Domestic violence often begins with a honeymoon phase, later followed by emotional abuse which may escalate to physical violence. Read more about the cycle of abuse here.

If you suspect you or someone you know is involved in a possible domestic abuse situation, please visit thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-SAFE.

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