A Texas man, Justin Anthony Banta, has been charged with capital murder and evidence tampering after allegedly slipping an abortion pill into his pregnant girlfriend’s drink without her consent, according to CBS News.
Authorities say the incident unfolded after Banta’s former girlfriend revealed her pregnancy last year. Although Banta reportedly offered to pay for an abortion, she declined, expressing her intention to keep the baby.
According to a statement from the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, the woman was six weeks pregnant when a doctor confirmed the fetus had a healthy heartbeat. Later that day, she met Banta at a coffee shop. Soon after, she experienced severe bleeding and later miscarried. She later told investigators she suspected Banta had drugged her beverage.
Detectives say Justin Anthony Banta, an IT employee at the U.S. Department of Justice, encouraged ordering the Plan C abortion drug online. After a police interview, investigators seized his phone but discovered key data had been wiped. Authorities believe he remotely accessed the device and performed a reset.
According to CBS, an arrest warrant was issued, and Justin Anthony Banta was taken into custody. The investigation remains ongoing. Texas, known for its strict abortion laws, criminalizes nearly all abortions, with limited exceptions for medical emergencies.
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