Man accused of putting abortion-inducing drug in wife's water takes deal, to serve 180 days in jail

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston attorney has taken a plea deal after being accused of placing an abortion-inducing drug in his pregnant wife's water in 2022.

Mason Herring agreed to serve 180 days in jail and 10 years of probation.

Herring's estranged wife, Catherine Herring, spoke to the court on the witness stand for the first time on Wednesday.

ABC13 reporter Courtney Fischer was inside the courtroom when Catherine looked at her husband and spoke to him about the ordeal.

ORGINAL REPORT: Houston attorney accused of drugging wife's water to induce abortion

"I do not believe that 180 days is justice for attempting to kill your child seven separate times. For two years, my husband has overly denied this assault, and I'm grateful today that he has finally admitted to his guilt," she said.

The woman also likened the punishment to less time than the number of days their daughter, Josephine, had a feeding tube in her and the probation as one year less than they were married.

Catherine also stated that her husband cut off her and their three children financially. The couple separated in early 2022 but were said to be working on their marriage and discovered she was pregnant in February 2022.

Catherine became ill and was taken to urgent care. The baby survived after being born 10 weeks prematurely and weighed just over three pounds. She is now a year and a half old.

"I watched in real-time as darkness overcame you. As addictions became your priority," Catherine said to Mason.

In 2022, charges in this case were filed as felony assault to induce abortion, and it was the first in Texas. But as part of the plea deal, charges were downgraded to injury to a child and assault of a pregnant person.

Herring is accused of placing medication in the form of powder used for abortions in his wife's water. His wife said she had video evidence and text messages that showed Herring tried to poison her several times.

A private lab confirmed the presence of the abortion medication inside the water that was tested after the Houston Police Department's involvement, which Catherine said took months.

She says she stayed silent for two years while the case worked through the system. Now, she said she is relieved to be able to tell her story.

Herring must report to the Harris County Jail on March 1 to serve his 180 days.