Multiple persons charge for killing pregnant girlfriend / unborn baby

A Texas man has been charged with capital murder multiple persons after he allegedly murdered his pregnant girlfriend and their unborn child after she refused to have an abortion.

19 year-old Courtney Hyriease Velasques, was arrested after confessing to relatives that he drowned, then burned the body of 18-year-old Dawanna Thomas, his pregnant girlfriend.

According to KEN5 the victim’s mother said that Velasquez didn’t want anything to do with the baby.

“(Velasquez) didn’t want nothing to do with the baby he kept calling me saying he wanted to get an abortion, I said we don’t believe in abortion I said my baby is going to have the baby,” said the mother.

Witnesses told investigators that Velasquez admitted to drowning Thomas and then trying to burn her body.

According to the Bexar County Sheriff’s office, Dawanna Thomas was approximately 18 weeks pregnant when her body was found by the Gardendale Fire Department on February 14, 2015.

Firefighters found Thomas’ body while putting out a grass fire on Schuwirth Road near FM 1346.

A family member told police that when he picked up Velasquez the accused boyfriend’s pants were “wet”.

In addition, relatives told police that Velasquez said “I can’t believe I did it“, “I killed her” and “I drowned her at the creek by Rittiman Road“.

Velasquez allegedly confessed to a relative, “I took her clothes off, put her in a bag and put a log over it, up under the bridge…”.

Life Dynamics has documented violence against pregnant women who refuse to submit to abortion in a report entitled, “Under-the-Radar Violence in the Conflict Over Abortion.” which can be read here.