Texas man allegedly spiked girlfriend's drink with Plan C to terminate her pregnancy, officials say
Justin Anthony Banta, 38, was booked into custody on Friday last week on suspicion of tampering with evidence and capital murder before he posted at $500,000 bond and was released, Parker County authorities said.
A woman claimed she had been seeing Banta and told him in September last year that was pregnant with his child, according to a sheriff's department statement.
The woman met Banta at a coffee shop in nearby Tarrant County where she believes the suspect "secretly added abortion-inducing pills to her drink without her knowledge or permission," the sheriff said.
"The victim reported she lost her baby on Oct. 19, which she believed was a result of the drugs Banta had previously placed in her drink at the coffee shop without her permission," the sheriff added.
Banta, who works in information technology for the U.S. Department of Justice, also "reset" his cell phone during the probe, "thereby deleting crucial evidence related to the case," according to the sheriff.
Banta, who is separated from his wife, said he'd seen this woman four times. He and defense attorney Michael Heiskell denied the defendant spiked any drinks.
"He's innocent of these charges," Heiskell told NBC News. "He has cooperated with the investigators since last fall when all of this brouhaha arose after his relationship ended with this woman. He is not guilty."
At this point in the probe, law enforcement has not shown Banta any evidence to confirm the woman's pregnancy, according to Heiskell.
"There were discussions about her being pregnant, but that was never confirmed by her to him. And yes, he did research Plan C," said Heiskell, who denied his client put that medication in the accuser's drink.
Texas law bans nearly all abortions, so abortion-inducing pills cannot be obtained from doctors or pharmacists in the state.
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To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. When her then-boyfriend asked about her daughter, she told him she was fine, recalling: "When he mentioned [the girl] to me, it was like when someone reminds you of someone who's not with you at that moment." She considered asking a neighbour to check on her but never did, which she now sees as a "mistake". Her parents believed she was still at home with her, while they took their own trip with her older daughter, aged seven at the time. Recalling the moment she found Jailyn unresponsive, Candelario said: 'That's when my world fell apart. Not because maybe I was thinking about going to prison. That's the least important thing, because one is an adult and one can accept one's mistakes. [I was in] despair. I felt she could be saved; things didn't have to happen that way because my daughter was doing well, I always took care of her.' CNN reported during her sentencing that the court was told how the tot's screams were picked up by a neighbour's doorbell camera. Forensic pathologist Elizabeth Mooney explained: 'The pain and suffering she endured lasted not only hours, not days, but possibly even a week. "This feeling of abandonment for days on end, coupled with the pain of starvation and extreme thirst, is a type of suffering I don't think any of us could ever fully fathom.' Passing sentence, Judge Brendan Sheehan told Candelario: 'The bond between a mother and a child is one of the most purest and most sacred bonds. It's a relationship built on love, trust, and unwavering protection. … You committed the ultimate act of betrayal. 'That little baby persevered, waiting for someone to save her. And you could have done that with a simple phone call. Instead, I see photos of you on a beach while your child was eating her own faeces in an attempt to survive.' He added: 'Just as you didn't let Jailyn out of her confinement until she died, so too you should spend the rest of your life in a cell without freedom. The only difference is that prison will at least feed you.' If you're strugglin g and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@ or visit their site to find your local branch.
