By Dave Andrusko
Still another case in which it is alleged that a man spiked a woman’s drinks to induce an abortion.
Mason Herring is facing a sentence of two to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Fortunately, though born early, the baby “is now healthy and doing well,” KTRK reported.
“A grand jury in Harris County recently indicted the 38-year-old husband on charges of assault of a pregnant person and assault to force an abortion, according to court records,” Kaitlyn Alanis reported. “In Texas, it is a felony “for a person who knowingly performs, induces, or attempts an abortion.”
“It’s manipulative,” Assistant District Attorney Anthony Osso told KTRK, the Houston ABC affiliate.
“It’s premeditated. What we are alleging (he) did, which we believe the evidence supports, is a pretty heinous act. To do that to someone who trusts you, it’s taking advantage of that trust,” Osso said.
Alanis wrote
In a complaint filed on May 25, officials accused the man of placing a drug that contained Misoprostol into his wife’s drinks. Misoprostol is commonly used to induce medical abortions.
Authorities said his wife filed a report in April, stating her husband of 11 years was poisoning her. She said they were in couples counseling when she told him she was pregnant. He “had a negative reaction and after that evening, he sent her text messages expressing that he was not happy about the pregnancy and did not know what to do,” authorities said.
Herring is alleged to have drugged—or attempted to drug—his wife on multiple occasions.
On March 17, the wife said her husband came to her house and brought her breakfast and a cup full of water, according to court records. “He told her he wouldn’t leave until she drank all the water,” Alanis wrote.
About 30 minutes later, she became very sick, according to the complaint. She experienced painful and extreme cramps, diarrhea and a large amount of bleeding as though she were menstruating.
She went to an emergency room for treatment and continued bleeding later that evening, officials said.
According to reports, she had cameras installed outside her home. A week later, “officials said she noticed her husband cleaning out his truck and taking trash to the curb. “This was out of character … as he does not do chores around the house,” she said.
The woman checked the trash can after he left and found opened packs of Cyrux, “a Mexican pharmacy version of the American drug Cytotec” that contains Misoprostol, authorities said.
Two days later, she said she watched her husband as he got her a drink and poured contents from a plastic bag into the beverage. She did not drink it, according to the complaint.
Following her police report, authorities said they confirmed the drug could have caused the symptoms she experienced after drinking the water her husband gave her.
Authorities tested six water samples the woman saved, and at least two of them contained Misoprostol, according to KTRK
Herring, who is scheduled to appear in court on December 2, is out on a $30,000 bond.