Warning: This article contains graphic images some people may find distressing.
A US mum has survived being shot in the face with an arrow while defending her children against an aggressor.
Janet Partain, 34, on Monday (local time) took her 14-year-old son and 15-year-old nephew to confront a man about a theft, US TV station WREG reports.
The man, 34-year-old Joseph Avellino, became aggressive when confronted and fired a crossbow arrow at one of the boys with Ms Partain.
She recalled stepping in to protect the boy, and was shot in the face, leaving her with a huge arrow protruding through her cheek, with blood pouring out.
"[He] was pointing the arrow at them and he fired a shot at one of them, and I pushed them out the way and I got hit," she said.
The Arkansas woman was able to drive herself to hospital, and images posted to Facebook showed her with the arrow in her face while another showed the wound stitched up.
"My face is throbbing and I can't shut one of my eyes," Ms Partain told the TV station, less than 24 hours after the arrow had been removed.
Avellino now faces first-degree battery and three counts of endangering the welfare of a minor. He was held in jail, but was reportedly let out on Thursday.
The woman was able to reach the hospital quickly enough to have the arrow removed from her face before losing too much blood.
Captain Jeff Nichols from the Cross County Sheriff's Office, said it was "an odd sight to see someone with an arrow in their face and they're still conscious and talking to me".
By Tuesday afternoon (local time), Ms Partain was recovering at hospital, and felt thankful to be alive, WREG reports.
"I'm just glad the baby didn't get shot."
Newshub.
