Texas Man Arrested After Running Over Pregnant Wife, Killing Unborn Child

A Texas man has been arrested and charged with murder after he allegedly ran over his pregnant wife with a truck during an argument.

The incident led to the death of the suspect's pregnant wife and eight-month-old unborn child, People reported. Christopher Gonzales was taken into custody on Sunday, June 13, and charged with first-degree murder and second-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The 26-year-old Texas man was charged in connection to the incident on March 28 when deputies from the Midland County Sheriff's Office received a call about a woman who had fallen from her husband's truck.

Christopher Gonzales' Case

During the investigation, deputies found that Gonzales and his pregnant wife were arguing on the side of the road when she stands on the step rail of the truck to get his attention.

Authorities said the truck started to move while she was on the step rail, and the pregnant woman fell off the vehicle. She was then run over by the truck.

The Texas man admitted that he knew his wife was standing on the rail when he decided to drive recklessly, leading to her fall, according to a CBS 7 report. Gonzales said he knew he ran over his wife when he felt a bump and heard her scream, according to the affidavit.

The victim was then airlifted to an intensive care unit in Lubbock. The child was found to be deceased after an emergency C-section, Houston Chronicle reported. The woman had suffered a crushed pelvis and two fractured hips in the incident.

Christopher Gonzales was charged after an investigation by the Midland County Sherriff's Office. He is currently being held at the Midland County Detention Center with a $150,000 bond.

A representative from the Sheriff's Office did not immediately comment on the matter, while the attorney information for Gonzales has not yet been released publicly.

Violence Against Women

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that violence against women is a major public health problem and a violation of women's human rights.

According to a WHO fact sheet, a 2018 data covering 161 countries and areas found that around one in three women has been subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or non-partner.

More than a quarter of women aged 15-49 who have been in a relationship had been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner at least once in their lifetime.

Over 38 percent of all murders of women worldwide are committed by intimate partners, while six percent of women have reported being sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner.

Restrictions such as lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the exposure of women to abusive partners while limiting their access to services that could help them.

Factors associated with intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women include low levels of education, a history of child maltreatment, witnessing family violence, and antisocial personality, among others.

Low levels of women's access to paid employment and discriminatory laws are also among the risk factors. It can have fatal outcomes like homicide or suicide, with 42 percent of women who experience violence from intimate partners reporting injuries.

WATCH: WHO - Violence Against Women: Strengthening the Health System Response - From World Health Organization (WHO)