Cosby Show Actress Keshia Knight Pulliam Says Her Husband Tried to Kill Her Unborn Child

National   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Aug 16, 2016   |   11:09AM   |   Washington, DC

Actress Keshia Knight Pulliam, known for her childhood role on the Cosby Show, is accusing her husband of plotting to kill their unborn baby, TMZ reports.

The two are estranged and recently filed for divorce. Knight Pulliam said her husband, NFL linebacker Ed Hartwell, was abusive and violent toward her and engaged in “cruel treatment” toward their unborn child, though she did not specify his actions.

In the court papers, Knight Pulliam accused Hartwell of “plotting to harm and obstruct [her] pregnancy” through “certain underhanded and unusual conduct” to trigger an abortion. She also alleged that he verbally abused her and had affairs with other women during their short marriage.

Knight Pulliam is 5-months pregnant, according to the report. A few weeks ago, Hartwell accused her of cheating when he insisted that she take a paternity test for their unborn child, according to People. A source close to the couple said Hartwell got angry when Knight Pulliam announced her pregnancy on Instagram several weeks ago. The source said he did not want her to make the announcement so soon, “but she did it anyway.”

If Knight Pulliam’s claims are true, they are not unusual. Women frequently report being pressured or coerced into having an abortion. LifeNews also has reported cases where pregnant women were attacked by their partners in an attempt to kill their unborn children.

For example, in March 2014, a New York woman was allegedly beaten so badly by her boyfriend that he killed their unborn child, LifeNews reported. The boyfriend allegedly attacked her and killed their unborn child after she refused his repeated demands to have an abortion.

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Stories of forced abortions are more common than abortion advocates would like people to think. In November, LifeNews reported the story of another New York man named Josh Woodward who was convicted of attempted murder after he secretly gave his pregnant girlfriend an abortion drug that caused the death of their 13-week unborn child. Woodward’s girlfriend said she refused to abort their unborn baby, even though he was constantly pressuring her.

One study found that as many as 64 percent of post-abortive women say they felt pressure to have an abortion.

Elliot Institute Director Dr. David Reardon, who co-authored the Medical Science Monitor study, said many of the cases involved pregnant women who were violently attacked after they refused to abort their unborn baby.

“Even if a woman isn’t physically threatened, she often faces intense pressure, abandonment, lack of support, or emotional blackmail if she doesn’t abort. While abortion is often described as a ‘choice,’ women who’ve been there tell a very different story,” Reardon said.

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