BEIJING, Oct. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- An American woman has been charged with cutting open her pregnant neighbour's abdomen with a razor knife in an attempt to steal her baby.

    Peggy Jo Conner, 38, attacked her eight-month pregnant neighbor Valerie Oskin, 30, at her Ford City, Pennsylvania, home late Tuesday or early Wednesday, according to Armstrong County District Attorney Scott Andreassi, who describes Oskin's injuries as "severe."

    Oskin, 30, was then taken to a hospital, where an emergency C-section was performed. Her baby -- a boy -- "appears healthy at this time," Andreassi said.

    But hospital officials declined to release any information about Oskin or her baby.

    Connor hit Oskin over the head with a baseball bat, then drove her about 25km to a wooded area in Armstrong County, about 80km northeast of Pittsburgh, and cut open her abdomen, Jonathan Bayer, a state trooper, said. "She was sliced over an old Caesarean scar and severely bleeding," he added.

    A teenager on an all-terrain vehicle came across the two women and sought help despite Conner's insistence that Oskin, who was bleeding from the head and abdomen, was fine. The boy called his father, who contacted the police.

    Conner was arraigned Thursday on charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and aggravated assault of an unborn child. She was being held without bail in Armstrong County Jail.

    Thomas Wilks told The Associated Press he is Conner's estranged husband and said the allegations were "impossible." He had seen evidence that Conner was pregnant, he told the AP.

    Wilks also said Conner and Oskin were close friends, the AP reported. Enditem¡¡

    (Agencies)