Man Accused of Trying to Poison Pregnant Girlfriend so she Would Miscarry

GALENA, Md. (AP) -- A dairy farmer is accused of giving a cattle hormone to a woman he got pregnant in hopes of inducing a miscarriage.

Police said 25-year-old William Stanley Sutton III added ProstaMate last week to a soda drank by a woman carrying his child, 21-year-old Lauren Ashley Tucker.

Tucker felt sick to her stomach and vomited after drinking a 20-ounce soda Sutton gave her that "tasted nasty and burnt her throat," according to court records.

She went to the hospital Aug. 9, and the hospital reported a possible poisoning to police.

The unborn child survived. Tucker is now 15 weeks pregnant. ProstaMate is a hormone given to cows in the breeding process to bring all cows in heat at the same time.

It can also be used to stimulate an early term abortion in a heifer that gets pregnant too young or a cow that mates with an undesired bull.

Tucker told authorities Sutton tried to get her to drink more of the soda, "telling her that soda helps an upset stomach," according to charging documents.

She told police that Sutton is the father of her child and that he wanted her to have an abortion, the records said.Sutton was charged with reckless endangerment, assault and contaminating Tucker's drink.

Sutton allegedly told police that he put 15 cc of ProstaMate in Tucker's soda while she was visiting him.

Sutton said he bought the drug from a veterinarian in Kent County. According to police, Sutton said he didn't mean to harm Tucker, just to cause her to miscarry.

Sutton's lawyer, Mitch Mowell, declined comment when contacted by the newspaper.

Sutton has been released on $50,000 bond and is to have no contact with Tucker.

Tucker was still being treated for her injuries Monday. Police are also investigating whether Sutton added ProstaMate to a glass of water he gave Tucker Aug. 6. Tucker told police the water tasted odd and that she felt sick, but attributed the feeling to being pregnant.

"It's an unthinkable type of situation," said Kent County Sheriff's Sgt. Glenn M. Owens.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)