Pregnant woman unable to carry baby to full term after attack, MA officials say

A pregnant woman was attacked after getting off a bus in Boston and was told she won’t be able to carry her child to term, Massachusetts prosecutors said.

The 23-year-old woman, who was 17 weeks pregnant at the time, told authorities that at about 6:30 p.m. April 29, a man later identified as Dana Young, 33, of Randolph came up behind her and “slapped her across the head, knocking her to the ground,” according to a news release by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

Then, he kicked her in the stomach multiple times and fled the scene, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said the attack was not random but did not specify how Young knew the woman.

The woman refused medical attention after the attack but later went to the Tufts Medical Center to check on her unborn baby, and doctors told her “she would not be able to carry the child to full term,” prosecutors said.

Doctors said the baby may suffer damage to their brain after ingesting blood following the attack, prosecutors said.

Young was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery in violation of a restraining order and assault and battery on a pregnant victim, prosecutors said.

He was arraigned in municipal court on Thursday, May 15, prosecutors said.

“Judge David Poole revoked Young’s bail on an earlier case and ordered Young held for at least 60 days. Poole set $2,000 on the new charges and ordered Young to have no contact with the victim if he is released. Young will return to court June 3 for a pre-trial hearing,” prosecutors said.

He will reappear in court on June 3, prosecutors said.

This story was originally published May 20, 2025 at 3:52 PM with the headline "Pregnant woman unable to carry baby to full term after attack, MA officials say."