HOUSTON– A Texas man who drugged his wife’s drinks in an attempt to induce an abortion was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years of probation.
Mason Herring, a 39-year-old Houston attorney, pleaded guilty Wednesday to injuring a child and assaulting a pregnant person. He was initially charged with assault with the intent to induce an abortion.
Catherine Herring, who filed for divorce, told the court the prison sentence was not long enough. She said their 1-year-old daughter, their third child, was born about 10 weeks premature, has developmental delays and attends therapy eight times a week.
“I don’t believe 180 days is justice when you’ve tried to kill your child seven times,” Catherine Herring said.
Catherine Herring told authorities that her husband began lecturing her on hydration and offering water in March 2022. She said she became seriously ill after drinking from the first cup that appeared cloudy, which her husband said may have been the result of dirty cup or water pipes.
Catherine Herring became suspicious and began refusing several other drinks her husband offered. She later found a drug containing misoprostol, a drug used to induce abortion, in the garbage container.
She also gave police videos from hidden cameras she had installed in her home where her husband no longer lived. One of them showed him mixing a substance into one of her drinks, Catherine Herring said.
Mason Herring’s attorney, Dan Codgell, called the plea and sentence fair.
“It’s a sad situation and Mason has accepted responsibility,” Cogdell said.