Pregnant woman survives repeated poisoning attempts by husband, who is later jailed

When Catherine Herring found out she was expecting her third child, her husband began pressuring her to consume excessive water, eventually giving her a milky-looking drink that triggered violent cramps and kidney failure. Emergency care saved her and the unborn child, but doctors could not identify the toxin. Partnering with a private investigator, she staged the drinking of his offered beverages to capture proof, uncovering seven separate attempts to poison her, documented by witnesses and a hidden-camera video.

The evidence led to his arrest; he faced felony assault charges related to a pregnant person and a child, ultimately pleading to a sentence of 180 days in jail plus probation. Although the plea reduced the most serious charge, the case underscores the lethal potential of domestic violence using abortion drugs. Catherine has since divorced him and advocates against such abuse while caring for her children, including her prematurely born daughter Josephine Grace.