FLORISSANT, MO – When Heather Siorek made the fateful decision to leave her partner, she could not have anticipated the horror that would follow. In the dark early hours of January 30, police say, her desperate bid for freedom ended in a violent attack, leaving her clinging to life.
Authorities allege Anthony Schanuth, 49, was unwilling to let Siorek go. As she prepared to walk away from a troubled relationship at their home on Old Jamestown Road in suburban Florissant, the confrontation escalated. According to investigators, Schanuth grabbed a shotgun and fired at Siorek, causing catastrophic injuries to her face and neck.
Family members recount that Siorek, the mother of three children, planned her escape, believing it would be safest to leave. But her preparation proved insufficient against the sudden outburst of violence. In the aftermath, police say Schanuth simply left her to bleed before stepping outside to smoke, leaving her for dead.
Miraculously, Siorek survived the ordeal. Although her wounds are devastating — her lower jaw was obliterated and her neck shattered — she is now awake and conscious in a hospital intensive care unit, communicating through written notes despite being unable to speak.
Emergency responders arrived just before 3:45 a.m. after a distress call alerted them to a shooting at the residence. Schanuth, court records show, was arrested at the scene and is currently held in the St. Louis County Justice Center on a $500,000 bond. He faces charges of first-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action.
Loved ones say Siorek also sustained defensive wounds while trying to shield herself from the blast. Her determination may have spared her life; she later wrote to her friends, declaring that she refused to abandon her children.
Outside the hospital, the community has rallied to support Siorek and her family amidst their ordeal. Friends launched an online fundraising campaign to help cover the steep medical costs of her recovery, including multiple reconstructive surgeries. They describe her as a selfless and devoted mother, especially to her child with special needs.
Those who know Siorek express shock at the violence that erupted in the home, saying neither she nor her loved ones fully realized the danger she faced. The relationship between Siorek and Schanuth had reportedly lasted less than a year before the harrowing attack.
Now, as legal proceedings move forward, Siorek continues her fight from a hospital bed. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to piece together the hours that led up to the shooting, hoping to bring justice after a night that forever altered the lives of a mother and her three children.