A Texas grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly putting an abortion pill into his wife’s drink in an attempt to stop her pregnancy.
The grand jury in Harris County accused Mason Herring, a 38-year-old Houston attorney, on two felony counts, including assault on a pregnant woman, last week. According to court records, he was detained in May and freed on a $30,000 bond.
Thursday, Herring’s attorney, Nicholas Norris, declined to comment immediately.
Prosecutors informed the Houston television station KTRK that the infant was born preterm but was otherwise healthy.
Herring’s wife told authorities that her husband began lecturing her on hydration and bringing her water in March, according to court filings. She claimed she fell seriously ill after drinking from the first cup that appeared foggy, which her husband allegedly stated was perhaps due to a dirty cup or water pipes.
According to court records, Herring’s wife got suspicious and began declining many further drinks provided by her husband. She reported later discovering in the garbage packaging for a pill containing misoprostol, an abortion-inducing medication.
According to court filings, the couple had split earlier this year and were undergoing marriage counseling when she informed him of the pregnancy. She claimed Mason Herring had voiced his displeasure with the pregnancy via text message.
Thursday, a representative for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office did not reply quickly to a request for comment. Additionally, Herring was charged with assault for attempting to induce an abortion.