A 31-year-old man from Normal was charged Saturday with causing the intentional homicide of an unborn child, after allegedly sneaking the abortion pill mifepristone to his girlfriend in Bloomington without her consent.
Bloomington Police responding to the scene Friday afternoon found the girlfriend in a bathroom, along with three blood-covered pills and what appeared to be a human fetus in a toilet, prosecutors said in court documents.
The three pills were mifepristone, commonly known as the abortion pill. It stops pregnancy from progressing by blocking an important hormone. It’s meant to be taken by mouth.
The girlfriend, who was seven weeks pregnant, told police she suspected her boyfriend of putting the pills in her vaginal area without her knowledge, prosecutors said. She told police the boyfriend told her he wanted her to terminate the pregnancy, which she did not want to do, prosecutors said. Other witnesses reportedly corroborated her story.
When police confronted the boyfriend later Friday, he admitted to administering the pills, prosecutors said. He said he bought the pills for $50 “from a girl on campus,” prosecutors said.
"We are again saddened by the alleged criminal actions which resulted in harm to others. It is my hope the mother involved in the matter fully recovers and has the resources and support of this strong community in the future," Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simington said in a statement. "The officers and detectives worked diligently and honorably through this very tough investigation."
The man is being held at the McLean County jail. He’s due back in court Monday at 12:30 p.m.
WGLT is not naming the defendant in this case because his relationship to the victim would make her easily identifiable if he was named.
