WTF!
Posted: November 30, 2007 4:41 pm
Town of Kaukauna man charged after woman claims drink spiked with RU-486
Use of abortion pill leads to arrest
By Dan Wilson
Post-Crescent staff writer
APPLETON — The evidence against Manishkumar M. Patel, a 34-year-old Town of Kaukauna man charged with attempting to cause his pregnant girlfriend to abort by slipping her a drug known as RU-486, was found in a smoothie.
That's one of the details that emerged Thursday in what is thought to be the first case in the United States in which someone has been charged with trying to cause the abortion of a fetus by spiking the mother's food or drink with an abortion pill.
"These allegations are devious, diabolical and disturbing," said Outagamie County Court Commissioner Brian Figy when he set Patel's bond for $750,000.
Patel, who authorities say owns an interest in several Fox Valley convenience stores, is accused of mixing into his girlfriend's smoothie the drug Mifepristone, more commonly known as RU-486, during a Sept. 17 visit to an ice cream parlor after dinner at a restaurant.
Suspecting that Patel had spiked the smoothie, which contained a powdery substance, the Kaukauna woman, 39, declined to drink it and later sent it out for testing, according to a criminal complaint and search warrant filed Thursday in Outagamie County Circuit Court.
Her suspicion stemmed in part from an earlier incident, in November 2006, when Patel had given her a glass of milk he said contained saffron, according to the complaint. The next morning she became violently ill and expelled a 14-week-old fetus.
Ten months later, in September, the woman miscarried a second time. She blames Patel for both miscarriages, according to the complaint, though he is not charged in connection with either.
Patel is charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide of an unborn child; second-degree reckless endangerment; placing foreign objects in edibles; possession of prescription drugs; stalking; burglary; possession of burglary tools; and two counts of violating a restraining order.
The burglary charge stems from his allegedly entering the woman's residence while she was out.
Patel faces up to 94 years in prison and extended supervision if convicted.
On Wednesday police seized papers, a computer, a cell phone, a GPS unit believed to be used to track the woman's movements, packaging material and "prescription medication" labeled as Mifepristone, according to the search warrant.
The relationship between the woman and Patel, who is married, started in 1999, according to court documents.
Twice the woman became pregnant by Patel, and twice she miscarried.
In November 2006, when she was 14 weeks into her pregnancy, she and Patel returned to her residence after dining out and Patel offered her milk he said had saffron in it. He was insistent, she said, so she drank it.
The next morning she became ill, started vomiting and expelled the 14-week-old fetus. The documents do not indicate if she sought medical attention.
She confronted Patel over the baby's death but he denied having anything to do with it.
In August 2007, the woman became pregnant a second time.
On Sept. 17, she and Patel went to dinner and later for ice cream. He went into the store and ordered a smoothie and two cups. She saw him split the drink and stir it.
When Patel came out and gave her one of the cups, she declined to drink it. Instead she kept it and took it home. She noticed a powdery substance in the cup.
On Sept. 30 the woman miscarried again. She sent the smoothie sample out to a lab for testing and it tested positive for RU-486.
After the sample came back positive, the alleged victim was granted a four-year restraining order against Patel on Nov. 12 by Court Commissioner Lisa Beth Vander Maazen.
In the woman's three-page petition, she claims she feared for the safety of herself and their 3-year-old son.
In November 2006, while she was pregnant, Patel struck her in the face with the back of his hand during a fight, according to the petition.
The woman did not file a report with police, she said, because she feared her parents would be disappointed if they discovered she was having an affair with a married man.
The charges Patel faces currently are not the first. In 2004, he was charged with domestic abuse disorderly conduct after he got in a fight with his wife. She claimed he pushed her backwards, causing her to fall and hit her head on a wall.
The charges eventually were dropped as part of a deferred prosecution agreement.
In December 2005, Patel was charged in Outagamie County with fourth-degree sexual assault and bail jumping for violating his bond in another case.
The complaint alleged that in October 2005, Patel assaulted a woman at the Northland Motel, where she was working as a manager. The case went to trial and a jury found Patel not guilty.
Police arrested Patel at 8:40 p.m. Tuesday outside the woman's residence, where he was sitting in his car.
Officers found a pair of binoculars, a lock-picking device and a device used to disguise the voice when making a call on a cell phone.
Use of abortion pill leads to arrest
By Dan Wilson
Post-Crescent staff writer
APPLETON — The evidence against Manishkumar M. Patel, a 34-year-old Town of Kaukauna man charged with attempting to cause his pregnant girlfriend to abort by slipping her a drug known as RU-486, was found in a smoothie.
That's one of the details that emerged Thursday in what is thought to be the first case in the United States in which someone has been charged with trying to cause the abortion of a fetus by spiking the mother's food or drink with an abortion pill.
"These allegations are devious, diabolical and disturbing," said Outagamie County Court Commissioner Brian Figy when he set Patel's bond for $750,000.
Patel, who authorities say owns an interest in several Fox Valley convenience stores, is accused of mixing into his girlfriend's smoothie the drug Mifepristone, more commonly known as RU-486, during a Sept. 17 visit to an ice cream parlor after dinner at a restaurant.
Suspecting that Patel had spiked the smoothie, which contained a powdery substance, the Kaukauna woman, 39, declined to drink it and later sent it out for testing, according to a criminal complaint and search warrant filed Thursday in Outagamie County Circuit Court.
Her suspicion stemmed in part from an earlier incident, in November 2006, when Patel had given her a glass of milk he said contained saffron, according to the complaint. The next morning she became violently ill and expelled a 14-week-old fetus.
Ten months later, in September, the woman miscarried a second time. She blames Patel for both miscarriages, according to the complaint, though he is not charged in connection with either.
Patel is charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide of an unborn child; second-degree reckless endangerment; placing foreign objects in edibles; possession of prescription drugs; stalking; burglary; possession of burglary tools; and two counts of violating a restraining order.
The burglary charge stems from his allegedly entering the woman's residence while she was out.
Patel faces up to 94 years in prison and extended supervision if convicted.
On Wednesday police seized papers, a computer, a cell phone, a GPS unit believed to be used to track the woman's movements, packaging material and "prescription medication" labeled as Mifepristone, according to the search warrant.
The relationship between the woman and Patel, who is married, started in 1999, according to court documents.
Twice the woman became pregnant by Patel, and twice she miscarried.
In November 2006, when she was 14 weeks into her pregnancy, she and Patel returned to her residence after dining out and Patel offered her milk he said had saffron in it. He was insistent, she said, so she drank it.
The next morning she became ill, started vomiting and expelled the 14-week-old fetus. The documents do not indicate if she sought medical attention.
She confronted Patel over the baby's death but he denied having anything to do with it.
In August 2007, the woman became pregnant a second time.
On Sept. 17, she and Patel went to dinner and later for ice cream. He went into the store and ordered a smoothie and two cups. She saw him split the drink and stir it.
When Patel came out and gave her one of the cups, she declined to drink it. Instead she kept it and took it home. She noticed a powdery substance in the cup.
On Sept. 30 the woman miscarried again. She sent the smoothie sample out to a lab for testing and it tested positive for RU-486.
After the sample came back positive, the alleged victim was granted a four-year restraining order against Patel on Nov. 12 by Court Commissioner Lisa Beth Vander Maazen.
In the woman's three-page petition, she claims she feared for the safety of herself and their 3-year-old son.
In November 2006, while she was pregnant, Patel struck her in the face with the back of his hand during a fight, according to the petition.
The woman did not file a report with police, she said, because she feared her parents would be disappointed if they discovered she was having an affair with a married man.
The charges Patel faces currently are not the first. In 2004, he was charged with domestic abuse disorderly conduct after he got in a fight with his wife. She claimed he pushed her backwards, causing her to fall and hit her head on a wall.
The charges eventually were dropped as part of a deferred prosecution agreement.
In December 2005, Patel was charged in Outagamie County with fourth-degree sexual assault and bail jumping for violating his bond in another case.
The complaint alleged that in October 2005, Patel assaulted a woman at the Northland Motel, where she was working as a manager. The case went to trial and a jury found Patel not guilty.
Police arrested Patel at 8:40 p.m. Tuesday outside the woman's residence, where he was sitting in his car.
Officers found a pair of binoculars, a lock-picking device and a device used to disguise the voice when making a call on a cell phone.
fixed it for Ya..