A pregnant caretaker’s routine morning departure from work turned into a nightmare when two hooded attackers ambushed her with a baseball bat, explicitly threatening to kill her unborn baby in an assault that reveals how personal vendettas can escalate into shocking violence against the most vulnerable.
Story Snapshot
- Gheonna Lacy, pregnant with her third child, was brutally attacked by two hooded suspects wielding a baseball bat outside her workplace in Racine, Wisconsin
- The assault was captured on security video and included explicit threats against her unborn baby, with attackers yelling “kill the baby”
- Lacy recognized the female attacker as someone who had been stalking her over a relationship dispute
- Despite the vicious beating, Lacy protected her stomach and both she and her baby survived, though no arrests have been made
A Morning Shift Turns Into Terror
Gheonna Lacy finished her overnight shift as a caretaker at a group home in Racine, Wisconsin, just before 7 a.m. on Thursday, January 15th. What should have been a simple walk to her car became a life-threatening ordeal when two hooded figures emerged from the shadows. One carried a baseball bat, and their intentions were clear from the moment they struck.
The security cameras captured every horrifying second as Lacy was knocked to the ground, beaten with the bat, and stomped by her attackers. Her screams for help pierced the early morning air, but what made this assault particularly chilling was the deliberate targeting of her pregnancy. One attacker specifically yelled threats to “kill the baby” while Lacy instinctively curved her body to protect her unborn child.
Stalking Escalates to Attempted Murder
This wasn’t a random act of violence. Lacy immediately recognized the female attacker as someone who had been stalking her over what she describes as a relationship dispute. The woman had recruited a male accomplice for the ambush, turning personal grievances into a coordinated assault on a pregnant mother. The calculated nature of the attack, with both suspects wearing hoodies to conceal their identities, suggests this was planned violence.
After the brutal beating, both attackers fled the scene, leaving Lacy crawling to safety. Despite her injuries and trauma, she managed to call 911 and provide crucial details to investigators. The fact that she recognized her primary attacker gives police a significant lead, though no arrests had been made as of Friday night following the Thursday morning assault.
Fighting for Two Lives
Speaking from her hospital bed via FaceTime, Lacy described the nightmare that continues to replay in her mind. Her maternal instincts kicked in immediately during the attack as she focused on protecting her stomach from the blows. The psychological trauma runs deep, with Lacy admitting the images won’t stop replaying, yet she finds strength in knowing her baby survived unharmed.
Best friend Jenna Hunter spoke publicly about Lacy’s character, describing her as an excellent mother to her two existing children and a dedicated worker. Hunter emphasized how pregnancy changes everything for a mother, making the targeting of the unborn child particularly heinous. While Lacy’s physical recovery progresses, Hunter worries about her friend’s ability to return to work, knowing the psychological scars may prove harder to heal than the physical wounds.
Justice Remains Elusive
The Racine Police Department’s violent crimes unit has taken over the investigation, armed with security footage that clearly shows the attack unfolding. However, the hooded disguises worn by both suspects complicate identification efforts, despite Lacy’s recognition of the female attacker. The brazen nature of the assault, occurring in daylight at a workplace with security cameras, suggests the attackers felt confident they could escape consequences.
This case highlights the dangerous escalation that can occur when stalking behaviors go unchecked. What began as harassment over a personal dispute transformed into a violent assault that targeted not just Lacy, but her unborn child. The explicit threats against the baby reveal a level of cruelty that extends beyond typical assault cases, making this attempted murder of both mother and child.
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Pregnant woman attacked with a baseball bat while leaving work
