A West Virginia man allegedly confessed to beating his pregnant girlfriend “until she quit breathing” in a phone call to 911 — and sheriff’s deputies only realized once they found her body in the woods that she was still alive
Logan Willis, 21, has been charged with attempted homicide, malicious assault and strangulation
“It’s as much of an issue making sure the baby survives as her,” Jackson County Sheriff Ross Mellinger said
A West Virginia man confessed to authorities after allegedly beating his pregnant girlfriend and leaving her in the woods.

According to reports from local outlets WCHS, WV MetroNews and WSAZ, 21-year-old Logan Willis of Oak Hill called 911 from a gas station in rural Kenna on the afternoon of Friday, June 6, to allegedly confess that he believed he had killed his girlfriend.

However, his girlfriend was still alive, and Willis had left a trail of blood from the road to where he dragged her body in the woods, authorities allege.

Jackson County Sheriff Ross Mellinger told the outlets that Willis and his girlfriend also share another young child, who was with him at the gas station when he called 911.

“In his own words, he ‘beat her until she quit breathing,’ ” Mellinger told WCHS.

Sheriff’s deputies began searching for Willis’ girlfriend — who has not been identified publicly — and located her in a wooded area nearby that same day, the outlets reported. Investigators said Willis confessed to beating the woman in his car before dragging her into the woods.

“Once the deputies found the location, they were able to follow the blood trail to the body,” Mellinger told WCHS, adding that the deputies only discovered Willis’ girlfriend was pregnant when they found her.

A criminal complaint obtained by WSAZ claimed that the woman was “observed to have numerous serious injuries consistent with a life-altering beating.”

“It’s as much of an issue making sure the baby survives as her,” the sheriff added.

According to Mellinger, Willis’ girlfriend was taken to the nearby CAMC General Hospital and was in “very critical condition” on June 6, per WSAZ.

Willis was arraigned that evening in Jackson County Magistrate Court and was charged with attempted homicide, malicious assault and strangulation, according to prison records viewed by PEOPLE.

The 21-year-old is currently being held on a $500,000 bond, per WCHS