Pregnant woman stabbed through heart by ex speaks out for first time
A pregnant woman stabbed through the heart in a horrific attack by her ex has spoken up for the first time after the nightmarish encounter.
Janika Cartwright, then aged 31, was stabbed eight times by her ex-boyfriend as she sat in her car outside a gym in Birmingham, UK in July, 2013.
Her ex-boyfriend Leon Harrison attacked her while her nine-month-old baby was asleep on the back seat.
One of the eight stabbings pierced through Ms Cartwright’s heart, but she and her nine-week-old unborn son survived the horrific attack.
Mr Harrison handed himself in to police after a manhunt. He was later convicted and handed a seven-and-a-half year sentence for attempted murder.
Mum-of-three Ms Cartwright, now 37, has revealed her recollection of the monstrous incident.
“Being stabbed repeatedly by the man I loved was the most terrifying experience,” Ms Cartwright said.
“I thought I was going to die.
“I was scared for my own life, but being pregnant and with my nine-month-old baby on the back seat I couldn’t run.
“All I could do was kick and punch to defend myself and scream for someone to help me.
“You hear about these kind of attacks, but you never think it will happen to you.”
Traumatised woman confronts attacker in prison
Following her recovery, Ms Cartwright questioned her attacker in prison as part of a restorative justice program.
“I fought to get the answers from the person who tried to kill me,” Ms Carwright said.
“Eventually, I was able to go to the prison where my ex-partner was being held and meet him face to face to ask all the questions that had plagued my mind since the day he attacked me.
“I wanted to tell him the impact his actions had on me, my children, my family and my friends.
Ms Cartwright said the process gave her “some closure” and helped her “come to terms with what happened.”
She has shared her story to mark the launch of a new restorative justice scheme aiming to give victims closure.
