Yahoo Finance Pregnant Washington Mom Dies in Hospital 5 Days After Alleged Attack by Husband
Tacoma Police Department
A pregnant woman from Washington is dead after suffering severe injuries in an alleged attack by her husband.
Stephanie Chaipis, 27, died on Friday, five days after she was hospitalized for life-threatening injuries, according to the officials.
On Jan. 10, authorities responded to a call about an unresponsive woman at a home located on the 5600 block of South Park Avenue, the Tacoma Police Department said in a press release.
Upon arrival, emergency personnel were told that the woman had been in a physical dispute with the father of her children.
Chaipis' husband, Ian Sweeney, was arrested on the scene. He was charged with assault in the first degree and attempted murder in the second degree with a domestic violence enhancement.
In charging papers obtained by PEOPLE, the prosecution claimed Sweeney, 31, told police he had beaten his wife of 10 years and shoved her against a wall after taking methamphetamine that day.
Chaipis and Sweeney's four children — whose ages range from 1 to 8 — were at home during the incident and one of them witnessed the attack, according to prosecutors.
After striking Chaipis multiple times, Sweeney noticed that his wife looked unwell and searched online for information about side effects of head trauma, court documents said.
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The prosecution claimed Sweeney did not render medical aid to Chaipis and called 911 when he noticed that she had stopped breathing.
Doctors discovered that Chaipis was about eight weeks pregnant when she was admitted to the hospital, court documents said.
According to prosecutors, Chaipis suffered head trauma, including a possible skull fracture, and was declared brain dead at the hospital.
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Sweeney pleaded not guilty to his charges during an arraignment on Jan. 13, The News Tribute reported.
An attorney for Sweeney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
The Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney's Office tells PEOPLE on Wednesday that they intend to upgrade Sweeney's charges following Chaipis' death.
"It is heartbreaking that four children will now grow up without their mother," a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office says. "Our thoughts are with them as we seek justice in this case."
Online records show that Sweeney is currently being held on a $1 million bond at Pierce County Jail. A hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 11.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
