Norristown man charged with murder of his unborn child, after he assaulted his pregnant girlfriend

NORRISTOWN, Pa. - A 24-year-old Norristown man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his unborn child, after officials say he beat his pregnant girlfriend.

Robert Wiley was charged Friday with the death of the unborn baby.

According to authorities, 26-year-old Selena Hernandez was about 21 weeks pregnant with a baby girl on August 18, when she woke to Wiley assaulting her and saying he would "…kill the baby." A police investigation revealed Hernandez was punched in the face, kicked in her abdomen, strangled to the point of becoming unconscious, then assaulting her again after she came to.

The vicious attack stopped after family members came home.

Hernandez was taken to Einstein Medical Center, Montgomery, then transferred to Genuardi Family Center for Maternal Health after her injuries were noted and an examination determined no fetal heartbeat, despite having a normal ultrasound two weeks earlier. The baby was then delivered dead August 19 and named Naomi.

An autopsy revealed Naomi’s cause of death was Intrauterine Fetal Demise and Placental Trauma.

Wiley was charged in August with aggravated assault of an unborn child, aggravated assault, strangulation and related charges. Additional charges of first-degree murder of an unborn child and third-degree murder of an unborn child were filed November 18th.

Wiley is being held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility awaiting arraignment on the new charges.