A Texas man has been indicted after prosecutors said he secretly gave a pregnant woman abortion medication without her consent.
Jon Rueben Demeter, 25, faces two first-degree felony charges in Montgomery County, Texas.
Authorities said the charges are performance of an abortion and injury to a child. Demeter was first arrested in February and initially charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Prosecutors later upgraded the charges after a grand jury reviewed the case.
The woman was 14 weeks pregnant when the alleged incident took place. Authorities said she had intended to carry the pregnancy to term. Investigators said Demeter wanted her to have an abortion and offered to pay for the procedure out of state.
Deputies were called to a hospital on February 21 after reports of a miscarriage under suspicious circumstances. The woman told investigators she believed the baby’s father had given her medication without her knowledge. She later delivered a stillborn baby girl named Presley Mae.
Sheriff Wesley Doolittle said the fetus weighed about 55 grams. He said the baby had 10 fingers and 10 toes. He also said Presley Mae was developed at about 14 weeks.
Authorities described the alleged drink
Investigators said Demeter obtained abortion medication online and had it shipped to his home. Authorities said he then crushed the medication before mixing it into a drink. The drink was described as a water bottle containing a Liquid I.V. packet.
The woman told detectives she visited Demeter at his apartment in The Woodlands on February 20. She said he gave her a bottle containing a white, milky substance. Court documents said he called the drink “passion fruit liquid IV.”
The woman said Demeter was insistent that she drink the entire bottle. She later said the drink tasted bitter and fizzy. Around 1 a.m., she began feeling unwell and sought medical care.
Authorities said she went to an urgent care facility after experiencing cramping and bleeding. She later delivered the stillborn baby at the facility. Investigators said the unborn child did not survive.
“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,” Doolittle said.
Officials said the medication was mifepristone, a hormone-blocking drug used in medication abortions. They said it is restricted under Texas abortion law. Authorities also said it has always been illegal to give someone medication without consent.
Prosecutors said the case may be unusual
Montgomery County District Attorney Mike Holley said the case may be the first of its kind in Texas. He said prosecutors believe the charges are appropriate under the circumstances. He also said the case involves conduct outside the law’s abortion exceptions.
“This may be the first use of the statute under these circumstances in the state of Texas,” Holley said.
Holley said Demeter had no connection to the medical profession. He said Demeter was not licensed to perform any medical procedure. Officials said he worked as a delivery driver before his arrest.
“It has never been lawful for someone to perform an abortion in the manner against a woman and against her consent of this nature,” Holley said.
Holley added that anyone considering similar conduct should “think twice.” He said that warning applied especially to people in Montgomery County. Prosecutors said the investigation remains active.
Authorities said the Texas Attorney General’s Office is also involved in a related investigation. That inquiry concerns the website where Demeter allegedly obtained the medication. Court documents said Demeter told investigators he gave the pills away.
Demeter remains held in custody
Demeter has been held in the Montgomery County Jail since his February arrest. Officials said he was initially held without bond after the first charge. Prosecutors said a judge could later set bond after the new indictments.
Demeter’s defense attorney declined to comment when asked about the case. His mother previously told ABC13 there was more to the story. She said: “We’re not going to tell you. God knows, and that’s the important part.”
If convicted on all charges, Demeter could face a lengthy prison sentence. The charges carry possible penalties of five to 99 years in prison. They could also carry a fine of up to $10,000.
Doolittle said authorities would continue investigating the case and seeking answers. He said Presley Mae’s life was “intentionally and tragically taken from her.” He also said investigators would work to hold those responsible accountable.
Featured image credit: Montgomery County Police Reporter
