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A pregnant teen who was punched in the stomach and spat on by her partner has given birth to her twins three months early.

Ziarye Freeman, 19, tragically lost one of her baby daughters, Za'Riya Jhene, after going into labour at just 23 weeks last August.

Her other daughter, Ja'Kiya Renae, remains in hospital on a breathing tube after undergoing life-saving heart surgery.

Ziarye says she was subjected to horrific abuse by her boyfriend, Jay Junior, in the months before she went into labour.

The waitress claims Jay would spit on her, break her phones and even punch her in the stomach when he was angry or upset.

There is no evidence to suggest the punches triggered her labour.

(Image: Ziarye Freeman)

(Image: Facebook)

Speaking to Mirror Online, Jay confirmed he had abused Ziayre during their "fights" - but claimed he did so only after she attacked him.

"Neither of us were right, we fought with each other," he said, describing how his then-pregnant girlfriend once swung a glass at his head.

"Punching her stomach was never intentional. We would get into a fight and I would just swing... I admit I was wrong for doing anything to her.

"I was better off leaving her alone."

Ziarye gave birth via C-section on August 14, 2016, to Za'Riya Jhene, who weighed just 1lb, 4oz, and Ja'Kiya Renae, who was 1lb, 3oz.

Less than two weeks later, Za'Riya Jhene was rushed to a children's hospital after doctors discovered a hole in her intenstine.

(Image: Ziarye Freeman)

The tiny infant later passed away. Her distraught mum, who had raced to be by her side, cradled and kissed her as she took her last breath.

Five months on, Ja'Kiya Renae remains in hospital in Pennsylvania, US, where she has grown to 7lbs and is said to be "doing well".

Ziarye stays overnight at the hospital with her "warrior" daughter every day, travelling to and from her restaurant job by bus.

The mum told Mirror Online: "I had a regular doctor's appointment at 20 weeks and they discovered I was 3cm dilated.

"They had me rush over to West Penn Hospital, where they had planned to keep me until I gave birth. That was in August and I was due in December.

"About two weeks passed and I stayed in the hospital, but all of a sudden one day, at around 7pm, I felt these sharp pains.

(Image: Ziarye Freeman)

"I didn't expect to be in labour, so I just tried to ignore it until, about 15 minutes into ignoring them, they became unbearable.

"I screamed for the nurses who rushed me down to the operation room. I was so hysterical and trying to fight everyone who touched me, so they put me to sleep."

She added that she had not realised the agonising pains she had been suffering were labour pains until she woke up - with two daughters.

"I thought they were going to tell me my girls didn't make it, but my girls were here," she said, adding that they were so "beautiful".

"They were so tiny and so early."

Ziarye claimed she suffered frequent physical abuse while she was pregnant.

Responding to her partner's allegations that she once swung a glass at his head, she told Mirror Online: "Yes that is true".

(Image: Ziarye Freeman)

But she added: After he punched me in my stomach, I started defending myself and hitting him with objects near me."

Jay said that he and Ziarye had met only two months before she fell pregnant.

"Neither of us was ready. We didn't even know each other," he said.

He added: "Now my daughter has to grow up in a broken home because her mom may never forgive me."

Both Ziarye and Jay were heartbroken when their twin Za'Riya died.

Speaking of the child's death on August 27, Ziarye said: "I got there [to the hospital] and all I saw was my half-lifeless baby lying there in the bed.

"Her stomach was swollen like a balloon with two holes in it from the drain with puss and dark greenish liquid leaking from each hole.

(Image: Ziarye Freeman)

"I just picked my baby up and held her close to my heart."

She added: "She didn't respond to treatment so they decided it was time to take her off the ventilator and let her take her last breath.

"I held and kissed my beautiful gift as I sent her home with our heavenly Father."

Five months on from Za'Riya's passing, Ziarye said her twin sister is "doing well" and "receiving the most amazing care ever".

"She's still on a breathing tube that is in her mouth, down her throat, and being fed from a tube in her nose," she said.

"A few months ago, she received a heart surgery to close the hole in her heart, just two days ago she received a gastric surgery to replace the feeding tube in her nose, and now she will be fed through a tube in her stomach.

(Image: Ziarye Freeman)

"Next week, she will receive a tracheostomy and have her breathing tube in her neck instead of down her throat."

She added: "I visit Ja'Kiya every day.

"I work as a waitress, so I'll catch 2 buses to work from the hospital, then when I get off of work, I'll catch 2 buses back to the hospital and stay the night."

The mum, from Pittsburgh, said she will have to quit her job and become a full-time carer for her daughter when she finally returns home.

"I will have to have medical equipment in my home and will receive special training to care for Ja'Kiya," she said.

Ziarye's family have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to help cover her daughter's medical expenses.