A 25-year-old is charged with illegal abortion and injury to a child after alleged poisoning
CONROE, TX – A Montgomery County man is facing serious felony charges after prosecutors say he secretly administered abortion medication to a pregnant woman without her knowledge, resulting in the death of her unborn child. The case, now drawing statewide attention, centers on allegations of deception, illegal drug use, and a pregnancy that ended under what authorities describe as deliberate and concealed actions.
John Ruben Demeter, 25, has been charged with one count of illegal performance of an abortion and one count of injury to a child, according to a press release from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Officials say the charges stem from an incident first reported in February, when a woman sought medical care believing she had unknowingly ingested an abortifacient.
Investigators say Demeter obtained abortion medication online and had it delivered to his home. Authorities allege he later crushed the drug and mixed it into a drink given to the woman.
“He covertly crushed that medication and mixed it in a water bottle with a liquid I.V. packet, and this was done with this specific intent to cause the death of the child,” Montgomery County Sheriff Wesley Doolittle said during a Wednesday press conference.
Investigation and timeline of events
Deputies were initially called to a hospital following what was described as a miscarriage under suspicious circumstances. The pregnancy was believed to be approximately 14 weeks along at the time.
“That baby, Presley Mae, was stillborn at the hospital, weighed about 55 grams,” Doolittle said.
According to investigators, the woman later told authorities she suspected her boyfriend had poisoned her to end the pregnancy. She reported that he had previously urged her to terminate the pregnancy and offered to pay for travel to another state where abortion procedures are legal.
Authorities believe the substance used was mifepristone, a medication that is illegal under Texas abortion laws.
Legal implications and prosecution
Officials emphasized that the current charges are based specifically on the alleged non-consensual administration of medication and its consequences.
“[H]e secretly administered an abortion-inducing drug to a pregnant woman without her knowledge or consent, resulting in the death of her unborn child,” the district attorney’s office said in its release.
Prosecutors indicated the case may be among the first of its kind under Texas’ current abortion statutes. Demeter was initially arrested on Feb. 23, two days after the incident, and originally faced a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
“These allegations describe conduct that is both deeply troubling and profoundly harmful,” prosecutor Laura Hill said. “Our responsibility is to carefully evaluate the evidence, apply the law as written, and seek justice on behalf of victims and this community.”
Demeter remains in custody at the Montgomery County Jail. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
“This case represents allegations of deliberate deception that resulted in devastating consequences,” Montgomery County District Attorney Mike Holley said. “The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office will continue to pursue justice based on the facts, the evidence, and the laws of the State of Texas.”
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