Left inset: Marielle Barrios (Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office). Right inset: Gheonna Lacy (GoFundMe). Background: Ring camera footage shows the moments right before Gheonna Lacy was allegedly attacked with a metal baseball bat by a man and a woman who had been stalking her over a relationship dispute (WISN/YouTube).
A Wisconsin woman found herself in handcuffs, yet appeared unfazed, following accusations of a violent assault on a pregnant mother of two. The incident, captured on a Ring camera, reportedly involved the woman and an accomplice using a metal baseball bat in the brutal attack. Authorities have identified the woman as Marielle Barrios, 28, and the victim, Gheonna Lacy, who is pregnant with Barrios’ boyfriend’s child.
According to a criminal complaint sourced by local ABC affiliate WISN, Barrios allegedly instructed her accomplice with chilling commands: “Beat the baby out,” and later, “Kill the baby.” The confrontation occurred as Lacy was on her way to warm up her car.
Lacy, who works as a caregiver at a group home in Racine, recounted the harrowing attack in an interview with WISN. She described how Barrios and an unidentified man, both masked, ambushed her. Lacy believes the assault was fueled by an ongoing relationship conflict with Barrios, who she claims had been stalking her.
“They just immediately knocked me to the ground,” Lacy shared, recalling the attack. “Swinging the bat, stomping me with their feet.” She explained that her primary concern was protecting her unborn child, as the assault unexpectedly unfolded at around 7 a.m. on January 15, just as she was finishing her shift.
The Ring camera footage, as reported by WISN, allegedly depicts Barrios and her accomplice stealthily approaching Lacy, setting the stage for the violent encounter.
Ring camera footage obtained by WISN allegedly shows Barrios and the other suspect sneaking up on Lacy.
“As a pregnant person, you feel like you’re safe, like no one is going to touch you,” Lacy said. “It replays in my head every time I close my eyes.”
According to local CBS affiliate WDJT, cops say Barrios walked into a local police station and dropped off a written statement at the front counter denying that she was involved in the attack and calling Lacy’s claim false. Lacy was allegedly able to identify her due to Barrios’ face mask coming down during the bat onslaught.
Barrios was arrested on Jan. 23 in Arkansas, along with a woman who is accused of harboring her. She is charged in Racine County, Wis., with substantial battery, aggravated battery to an unborn child and armed robbery for allegedly taking Lacy’s cellphone.
A GoFundMe that was launched by Lacy’s employer says she is currently pregnant with her third child and works “providing daily care, compassion, and support to other people’s loved ones,” per the description.
“As she walked outside toward her vehicle, one male and one female were waiting for her and brutally attacked her,” the GoFundMe alleges. “She was beaten with a metal baseball bat and repeatedly kicked and stomped on — including blows to her stomach, face, and entire body.”
Lacy was hospitalized after the assault and was being “closely monitored,” along with her unborn child, according to the GoFundMe. “This traumatic incident has left her physically injured, emotionally shaken, and unable to work at this time,” the description explains.
Police say they were still searching for the other suspect who was allegedly involved as of Wednesday.
