STEVENS POINT, WI – A 37-year-old woman is jailed on a $100,000 bond after prosecutors say she repeatedly poisoned her ex-husband by placing eye drops and other substances into his drinks inside their shared home. The allegations span several years of unexplained health episodes and culminated in video evidence captured inside the kitchen, according to a criminal complaint filed in Portage County.
Jessica Meis faces charges of aggravated battery with a domestic violence modifier and two counts of placing foreign objects in edibles. The case began Monday when her ex-husband contacted Stevens Point police, reporting he believed Meis had been tampering with his beverages. He told officers he had experienced symptoms since 2021, including “being exhausted, dizzy, and sleeping for long periods and having headaches.”
The complaint states the incidents intensified around the time the couple finalized their divorce in June. Although separated, they continued living in the same Stevens Point residence until Meis moved to Plover later that year. The ex-husband reported being hospitalized four times between July and September, during the period they were still sharing a home.
Hidden camera footage and alleged admissions
After growing suspicious, the ex-husband installed a camera in his kitchen on July 14. Investigators say footage from July 18 shows Meis removing a small container from her pocket and emptying its contents into a water bottle. According to the complaint, she then “purposely holds both items lower than the kitchen island so it is out of view” of two children before returning the bottle and concealing the container.
Another video from July 16 allegedly shows Meis handling a bottle of eye drops while near a beverage in the refrigerator. Police wrote they “suspect[ed] she is emptying the eye drop solution into the water bottle,” which was later consumed by another person and turned over as evidence.
When questioned by officers Tuesday, Meis initially claimed she was adding “saline solution or salt” as a remedy for low blood pressure. Investigators say she later admitted to using Visine eye drops and acknowledged doing so repeatedly. According to the complaint, she first said it happened a couple of times but later admitted she had done it “many times.”
Motive and pattern outlined in complaint
The ex-husband told police his health issues worsened in early 2026, including three episodes in January while Meis was staying at his home due to heating problems. He reported that low blood pressure episodes increased in frequency through mid-July.
In her interview, Meis allegedly said she added substances to his drinks to make him “sick” so “he would let [her] take care of him” and “he would need her.” Investigators say she admitted targeting multiple beverages, including “Monster brand energy drinks, Propel water drinks, Bubbler drinks, and most likely his old fashioned mix.” She also allegedly said she attempted to place Visine in his CPAP machine “but she didn’t think it worked.”
When asked about the risk to their children, Meis reportedly told officers “they don’t drink these things.” The complaint states she showed no remorse during the interview.
Meis was arrested Tuesday and remains in custody at the Portage County Jail. She is scheduled to return to court on July 27.
