A 43-year-old Arizona man, Justin Noecker, has been sentenced to a decade behind bars according to the Yavapai County Attorney's Office, for the attempted murder of his unborn child. The incident, which unfolded in October 2024 just outside of Prescott, involved Noecker assaulting his wife after the couple discovered they were expecting a child. As told by FOX 10 Phoenix, the woman claimed that following an argument, her husband "restrained her and repeatedly stomped on her stomach."
The wife was approximately nine weeks pregnant at the time of the assault, and had initially expressed excitement about the pregnancy with her husband. However, after an altercation, Noecker threatened to "give her an abortion" before carrying out the violent attack, which tragically resulted in the loss of the unborn baby. Despite medical professionals being unable to conclusively determine whether the child had died before or because of the assault, Noecker believed the baby to be alive when he committed the act, leading prosecutors to charge him with attempted murder. This charge was solidified due to Arizona's laws, which protect the unborn at any stage, as reported by azfamily.com.
The consequences for Noecker's actions extend beyond the prison sentence. On December 15, he was also sentenced to seven years of supervised probation for the kidnapping of his wife during the violent incident. This was announced following his conviction of attempted second-degree murder, and the subsequent probation is to follow his initial prison term.
The legal repercussions Noecker faces align firmly with the Yavapai County Attorney's assertion that "Arizona law protects an unborn baby at any stage of development with the same penalties as any young child victim." This statement was initially provided to FOX 10 Phoenix in their coverage of the case. Despite the inability to definitively link the loss of the unborn child to Noecker's assault, the court's ruling has shown a clear stance on the gravity of such actions against the most vulnerable and voiceless.
