The Spring man faces a family violence felony as investigators consider possible upgraded charges.
THE WOODLANDS, Texas — A Spring man accused of secretly giving a pregnant woman an abortion drug without her consent is scheduled for a bond review hearing Wednesday morning as investigators and prosecutors continue a case they say ended with the woman’s miscarriage and a stillborn baby delivered at a hospital in The Woodlands.
The suspect, 25-year-old Jon Rueben Gabriel Demeter, is jailed without bond on a felony aggravated assault charge that authorities say involves family violence. Investigators allege Demeter obtained and covertly administered mifepristone, a medication used in medication abortions, intending to end the pregnancy. Officials say additional charges could be filed or the current charge could be enhanced as evidence processing continues.
Deputies were dispatched to a hospital in The Woodlands on Feb. 21 after a patient arrived experiencing a miscarriage that investigators described as suspicious. The woman told authorities she believed the father of her baby had given her a drug in secret to terminate the pregnancy, according to court records and law enforcement statements. The child was later delivered stillborn at the hospital, authorities said. The woman named the baby Presley Mae, investigators said, a detail that appeared in official accounts as the case moved quickly from the hospital report to an arrest.
Authorities said major crimes detectives arrested Demeter on Feb. 23 and booked him into the Montgomery County Jail. The sheriff’s office said he is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury in a family violence case. Officials have not said what “deadly weapon” prosecutors are alleging, but investigators have framed the medication itself as central to the claimed harm. Sheriff Wesley Doolittle praised the work of detectives, crime scene investigators, prosecutors and patrol personnel, calling it a sensitive investigation. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with the mother and her family as they mourn the loss of Presley Mae,” Doolittle said in a statement.
Investigators say the woman reported that she intended to continue the pregnancy and repeatedly refused to end it. Authorities also said she told detectives Demeter tried more than once to persuade her to get an abortion and offered to pay for out-of-state travel to do it. Officials have not released the woman’s name or age. They also have not said how far along she was, how she first learned she may have been given medication, or whether she experienced symptoms that prompted her to seek emergency care.
What authorities have described publicly is an investigation that tied Demeter to mifepristone, a hormone-blocking drug commonly used in medication abortions. Officials have not detailed how the medication was obtained, whether it was ordered online, or whether anyone else is under scrutiny. They have not released toxicology results, medical records or other documents that would show what evidence they say supports the allegation that the drug caused the miscarriage and stillbirth. The sheriff’s office has said the Montgomery County Medical Examiner’s Office assisted the case, and that evidence still needs to be processed.
The case has also brought attention to allegations of reproductive coercion, a phrase some counselors use for patterns of control that involve pregnancy and reproductive decisions. Trauma therapist Chau Nguyen, interviewed by local media, described the allegation as abuse within a relationship. “This act of abuse is a form of domestic violence,” Nguyen said. Investigators have not said whether they believe Demeter used other methods of control or threats, but they have consistently labeled the case as family violence in charging language and public statements.
While investigators described the allegation in stark terms, Demeter’s family has pushed back publicly by saying the story is not complete. In a televised interview, Demeter’s mother said her son turned himself in and insisted his side of the case had not been fully heard. “You don’t know the other side of the story,” she said, adding that details would come out in court. She declined to address the specific allegation in that interview, and she later referred questions to Demeter’s attorney. The attorney declined to comment, according to local reports.
The bond review hearing set for Wednesday morning is expected to be an early test of how prosecutors describe the evidence in open court. Demeter was being held without bond Tuesday, and officials said the investigation remains active. Prosecutors can seek to keep bond denied, argue for specific conditions, or present additional information as the court weighs release. A bond hearing typically does not decide guilt or innocence, but it can shape how quickly a case moves and how much information is revealed at an early stage.
Beyond the bond hearing, officials have signaled that the case may expand. The sheriff’s office and district attorney’s office have said the charge could be enhanced after evidence processing is complete. Authorities have not explained what change they are considering, such as a different felony level or additional counts. They also have not said whether the case will be presented to a grand jury in the coming weeks. In Texas, felony cases often proceed through charging reviews, discovery, and court settings that can stretch for months, especially when medical evidence is involved.
For the mother, investigators have framed the case as a loss that reached beyond a medical emergency. Authorities have emphasized that the woman reported she wanted to carry her pregnancy to term, and that the medication was given without her knowledge or consent. Officials have repeated the baby’s name, Presley Mae, in statements that also included condolences. The sheriff’s office has said detectives will continue reviewing evidence and working with prosecutors as the case moves from the hospital report toward the courtroom.
Author note: Last updated February 25, 2026.