WALKER, LA

Investigators say a 28-year-old
pregnant woman was stabbed in the abdomen and her baby cut out of her.
Her husband was arrested for the crime. Officials with the Livingston Parish
Sheriff's Office says it was a gruesome scene. They responded to an
emergency call on Milton Road in Walker, LA around 11:15 a.m. Tuesday.
They report that a kitchen knife was used to cut the woman's throat and
sever her belly and then the baby was forcibly removed from her womb.
She was about seven and a half months pregnant.

The woman survived, but the baby did not. At
last check, the woman is in critical but stable condition. Her name has
not been released. According to reports, when officers arrived on the
scene, Reynolds was found kneeling over the victim.

Jeffery Reynolds, 31, has been charged with first-degree feticide and second-degree attempted murder.

Deputies and neighbors described the attack as vicious, but added it is hard to put into words.

"I have no words right now on how she must
feel losing a child she was pregnant with," said Ana McDonald, whose
parents live across the street from the victim. "I've carried a child.
"You get attached and someone doing that, I can't explain how she feels
right now."

"I've seen crime scenes before, but this
one was very challenging," said Sheriff Jason Ard. "They all are, but
this one was one that I don't think I've ever seen anything like this.
We're doing everything we can to put all the pieces of the puzzle
together, so this may take some time and try to get answers. We don't
know motive or the cause. We just know we have a man that committed
this crime."

Deputies said Reynolds was combative during
the arrest. Steele said he did not suffer any injuries, but was taken to
a hospital to be evaluated. A toxicology test was run on Reynolds, but
the results have not come in yet.

Ard added he has no record of any problems from the home before Tuesday.

Reynolds is being held in the Livingston Parish Jail on a $500,000 bond.

An investigation into the attack is continuing.