Woman, 9 Months Pregnant, Who Fought Off Rapist, Credits "My Favorite Murder" Podcast For Survival Skills

CINCINNATI, OH — A pregnant woman in Cincinnati who fought off her rapist has credited her quick reactions to listening to the true-crime podcast My Favorite Murder.

On Friday, June 22, the woman, who is nine months pregnant, was walking her dog on Riverside in the East End at 11 A.M. when she noticed a man approaching her.

She said that she crossed the street to avoid him, but that her alleged attacker, 27-year-old Anthony Smith, also crossed and began following her.

The victim said she turned and yelled at Smith to stay away, and then started running. Despite her best efforts to escape, she was tackled and her attacker attempted to take off her shirt and pants.

She said that she then began screaming and striking Smith. Smith punched her and hit her until a group of people heard her screams and ran over to help.
Some of them held Smith down, while others helped the victim and called 911.

FOX19 NOW reported that the woman, who shared photos of her injuries but has not revealed her name, suffered a fractured nose as well as bruising and swelling to her face. Family members stated that both the baby and the dog, who ran home during the attack, are doing fine.

One of the bystanders who jumped in to help the victim, Jordan Jones, says, “I don’t want to play the hero or anything like that, but I’m actually kind of glad we were able to get this woman up and potentially save her life and the baby’s life.”

Another person who helped, Asa Smith, says, “It was just the right thing to do. You see somebody who needs help, help them out. That’s what we’re all supposed to do as humans in this world, so look out for one another.”

The victim, a fan of the My Favorite Murder podcast, says that she had the skills to fight and survive this attack due to what she’s learned from listening to the show.

Smith was charged with felonious assault and attempted rape. He had reportedly been released from a mental health facility on June 18 — just four days prior to the attack.

Smith was being held at Summit Behavioral Heath after several court cases involving at least two assaults and drug charges. He is currently behind bars in Hamilton County Jail, and his next court date is set for July.

Watch Now:

Authorities Begin To Believe That A Bloody Crime Scene Was Staged — Was Michael Chambers Murdered Or Did He Leave On His Own?

When Doug & Tracy Drew Their Guns On One Another, That Should Have Been The End Of Their Relationship

When A Mom Tries To Tell Another How To Raise Her Kids, Battle Lines Are Drawn & Violence Flares

Read more: FOX19NOW, Fox19.com