Woman killed to protect her baby

A PREGNANT American woman who killed the attacker police believe was after her unborn child, said yesterday her reaction was based on maternal instinct.

Sarah Brady, who is nine months pregnant, struck the woman on the head with an ash tray and stabbed her three times with her own knife, police said.

Detectives believe 22-year-old Katherine Smith intended to murder Brady and then snatch the unborn child from her womb when she lured her into her Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, apartment.

“I do believe that I fought harder because it was for my child,” Brady told ABC News. “It is a maternal instinct to protect your child to the very end.”

Smith passed herself off as pregnant by stuffing padding into maternity clothes and carrying an ultrasound picture of someone else’s twins, police said.

She then told Brady, aged 26, a package had been delivered for her to the wrong address. Inside, Smith is believed to have pulled a knife before Brady fought back and wrestled it from her.

Brady said the pair had never met before the incident.

Inside Smith’s apartment, police found a baby nursery and a variety of surgical equipment that could have been used to deliver a baby.

No charges have been filed against Brady, who is due to give birth to a daughter any day.