An Iowa woman is accused of lacing a lasagna that was delivered to a pregnant woman and her family as part of an alleged plot to cause a miscarriage, according to authorities.
The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office identified Amber Dena Snow, 36, as one of two co-conspirators who allegedly laced the pasta with oxycodone, a strong prescription opioid medication, the agency said in a Tuesday, March 10, news release.
The lasagna was received by the pregnant woman and her family on December 28, according to authorities. The woman had no idea that the pasta had been tainted.
The woman and her baby were ultimately “not harmed,” Christina Goeden, a deputy with the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed to Us Weekly on Thursday, March 12.
Snow was arrested on March 10 on a slew of charges, according to the sheriff’s office, including delivering a controlled substance (oxycodone), intentionally terminating a human pregnancy without the knowledge and voluntary consent of the pregnant person, aggravated misdemeanor child endangerment, two counts of administering a harmful substance to an adult, and two counts of administering a harmful substance to a juvenile.
It was not currently clear whether Snow had retained an attorney as of March 12 or whether she had entered a plea.
The sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate the alleged attempt to cause a miscarriage and said “additional charges and arrests” are “imminent.”
In January, authorities were alerted to the lasagna potentially being contaminated with drugs, the sheriff’s office said.
After the lasagna was taken to a laboratory for testing, investigators discovered the “presence of oxycodone,” according to authorities.
During the investigation, authorities interviewed Snow and her alleged co-conspirator, the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators discovered electronic messages and online search history involving Snow and the co-conspirator that allegedly linked them to the preparation and delivery of the lasagna, according to authorities.
Snow was booked in the Winneshiek County Jail, where she was held on a $100,000 cash bond, the sheriff’s office said. Winneshiek County is about a 160-mile drive southeast from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Research on whether oxycodone, which is prescribed for pain management, can cause an increased risk of having a miscarriage is lacking, according to a 2023 fact sheet published by the National Library of Medicine.
“Miscarriage is common and can occur in any pregnancy for many different reasons,” the report says.
If a person uses oxycodone in their third trimester, studies have shown that their baby could have a higher risk of experiencing drug withdrawal symptoms, according to the fact sheet.
