Attacker remains at large after savagely beating NW Harris Co. woman

Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Woman's attacker on the loose
Derek Cassard, and his fiancee, April Dorris, had already picked out a name for their baby girl.

TOMBALL, TX (KTRK) -- A violent attacker remains at large after a pregnant woman was nearly beaten to death in northwest Harris County.

Remarkably, April Dorris, 25, survived, along with her unborn child. And now, police are trying to track down who would do such a thing.

Dorris' fiancé, Derek Cassard, says they had already picked out a name for their baby girl -- Skyler. Dorris is seven months pregnant.

"This is an act of violence beyond my understanding," said Cassard.

Someone beat Dorris inside their northwest Harris County home Monday in the Rosehill neighborhood near Tomball. She's now in critical condition. The baby is being closely monitored.

Cassard says he was at work.

"Sure wish it was me," he told us. "I'd trade her places in a second. That's all I can say."

Investigators say the 25-year-old victim was savagely beaten in the head with some unknown object. She apparently called her mother just before the attack and the mother called 911 after hearing her screams.

Cassard calls the person responsible an animal. He hopes anyone who knows anything about the attacker will turn them in.

"We gotta catch this guy before he does this to someone else," he said. "This could have been your mother or your daughter."

Detectives say this was not a robbery. In fact, rescue crews had to force their way in to help Dorris.

It's not clear then if that would mean Dorris knew her attacker or not.

If you know anything about this case, you can call the Harris County Sheriff's Office or Crime Stoppers.