UPDATE: The suspect has been charged with first-degree murder. Read the new details here

A man accused of stabbing his girlfriend multiple times with a BBQ fork and killing her unborn child will be charged Tuesday afternoon.

A woman who was eight months pregnant was stabbed overnight just hours after police had visited the home to respond to a call about a domestic dispute.

The attack happened around 2:30 Monday morning in an apartment on Langelier Blvd. near Pascal St. in Montreal North.

"When police arrived they discovered the woman in the apartment, covered in blood, bleeding from multiple stab wounds," said Montreal police officer Manuel Couture.

"The woman was conscious when Urgences Santé arrived, but the urgency was to get her to hospital."

The 33-year-old woman was rushed to an operating room and the baby was delivered via C-section, but the infant died later in the morning.

Police confirmed with CTV Montreal that the child, a boy, was alive at the time of delivery. He died shortly after. 

The 37-year-old suspect was not at home when police arrived, but was arrested late Monday morning after police spotted his car in the neighbourhood.

“The suspect did come back to Montreal North and he was arrested and he's presently detained,” said Montreal police Cmdr. Michael Chartrand

He has been questioned at length and is likely to be charged in court on Tuesday. 

Charges are still to be determined. Police say it’s plausible he will face a murder charge if the child was viable.

“We'll let the experts decide which charges are going to be laid,” said Chartrand, referring to the Crown. 

The woman is expected to survive her injuries, police said. 


Couple frequently argued

Neighbours said the couple frequently fought, and this night they were woken up by the couple arguing.

"Around 2:30 in the morning we heard the pair of them yelling, like usual. Then we heard the man run down the back stairs and get into his car and drive off," said Michel Leblanc.

"Then the woman knocked on my door, and when my wife opened the door she was covered in blood, and it looked terrible. We called 9-1-1."

He said police arrived very swiftly, and that paramedics were there moments later to place the woman in an ambulance.

The apparent weapon in the attack was lying on the floor outside the apartment.

"I saw a fork, a large fork... with two tines, lying on the ground. In my opinion that was the weapon," said Leblanc.

The suspect does have a criminal record, and previously faced assault charges -- as recently as last year -- as well as weapons charges.

He also reportedly had issues with drugs.


Second call that night

Police said that earlier that evening the woman had called 9-1-1 to report a domestic dispute.

When officers arrived around 10 p.m. the man was not home, but the woman was there with two children aged six and eight.

Chartrand said police offered her help in leaving the apartment.

"We offered the victim the possibility to relocate her and she wanted to stay home. The children were relocated, that's a good thing, and from that point on the investigation will take its course," said Chartrand. The children are staying with relatives.

Chartrand said the woman decided to stay at home.

"She didn't ignore, she refused," said Chartrand. "Unfortunately as some of those situations happen they just refuse the help."

He added that police had visited that home multiple times because of complaints about assaults and threats, and therefore the suspect is known to police.

Neighbours in the apartment complex told CTV Montreal they are still reeling from the incident, and hoping to come to terms with the loss sooner than later.

Someone placed a leopard teddy bear against the building's fence in memory of the lost child.