A 25-year-old Spring man has been arrested after authorities say he secretly administered abortion-inducing medication to a pregnant woman without her knowledge, resulting in the death of her unborn child.
Jon Rueben Gabriel Demeter was taken into custody on Monday by major crimes detectives with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. He has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury–family violence. As of Tuesday, Demeter was being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond.
According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a hospital in The Woodlands after receiving a report of a miscarriage under suspicious circumstances. The woman told investigators she believed Demeter, identified as the father of the child, had given her abortion medication without her consent in an effort to terminate the pregnancy.
Investigators said the woman reported that Demeter had repeatedly attempted to persuade her to obtain an abortion and had offered to pay for her to travel out of state for the procedure.
An investigation conducted by the sheriff’s office in coordination with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and the Montgomery County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Demeter had obtained abortion medication and allegedly administered it covertly with the intent to cause the death of the unborn child.
Authorities said the child, whom the mother named Presley Mae, was delivered stillborn. Officials have not released information regarding the gestational age of the child.
Sheriff Wesley Doolittle said in a public statement that the department commends the detectives, crime scene investigators, prosecutors, and patrol personnel involved in the case and extended condolences to the mother and her family.
The sheriff’s office indicated that additional charges could be considered as the investigation continues.
The arrest comes amid ongoing legal battles in Texas related to abortion-inducing drugs and enforcement of the state’s abortion laws.
Earlier this week, Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a civil enforcement lawsuit against Aid Access, an international abortion-by-mail organization that advertises shipment of abortion pills into Texas. According to Paxton’s office, the lawsuit alleges that Aid Access and affiliated providers are violating Texas law by prescribing and mailing abortion-inducing drugs into the state without complying with in-person physician requirements and other regulatory safeguards. The filing seeks injunctive relief and civil penalties.
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