A Connecticut woman is facing attempted murder charges after allegedly poisoning her separated husband’s wine with a chemical found in antifreeze.
Kristen Hogan, a 33 year-old woman, was arrested on Friday after admitting to police that she poured ethylene glycol into a wine bottle that her husband drank from on August 10. That night, he became seriously ill and was hospitalized with symptoms of vomiting, slurred speech, and confusion. Doctors later confirmed that these were signs of antifreeze poisoning.
According to a written testimony filed in Connecticut Superior Court, the wine had originally been gifted to the victim by his stepmother during a family dinner on August 5. He had stored the leftover wine in his fridge and drank from it days later. The victim told police he believed Hogan had poisoned the wine, suggesting she may have wanted full custody of their child and ownership of the home.
Investigators discovered internet searches on Hogan’s phone from July 28, where she had searched, “how much monoethylene glycol would kill you.” The victim also reported unusual behavior leading up to the incident, stating that Hogan had started visiting more often, offering to cook dinner, and bringing their child over. He also noticed that some of the cameras he had in his home had gone missing.
On August 7, the victim appeared in court for a complaint Hogan had filed, but she never showed up. While she was waiting, he received a notification that her phone was uploading data to his home Wi-Fi, even though she wasn’t there.
When she had been questioned by detectives, Hogan admitted to adding the chemical but claimed she didn’t mean to kill him but make him sick as “payback” for what she described as mental abuse.
Her lawyer, Mark Sherman, said she plans to plead not guilty. “These are just accusations,” he told NBC News, “and we will take the time needed to diligently investigate and defend Kristen against these claims.”
Hogan is currently being held on a $1 million bond. The case is ongoing.
