Poisoning case called 'mistake'

Poisoning case called 'mistake'
BY JENNIFER BAKER | JBAKER@ENQUIRER.COM
June 6, 2007

UNION TWP. - The man whose wife is charged with trying to poison his beer with cleaning fluid said today it's all just a misunderstanding and he is standing by her.

"She is a very caring person who just had some depression issues," said Jonathan Truesdell, 43. "It's being taken care of."

Christina Truesdell, 41, was charged with felonious assault Saturday after Mercy Hospital Anderson officials contacted Union Township police.

She is out of the Clermont County Jail on a $25,000 bond and next appears in court June 14 when the case goes to a grand jury, according to jail officials.

Jonathan Truesdell drove himself to Mercy's emergency room about 12:30 a.m. Saturday after suffering pain in his swollen mouth and throat, said Union Township Police Lt. Scott Gaviglia.

Truesdell fell ill after drinking a beer at his home in the 500 block of Lemaster Drive.

His wife admitted to police she slipped cleaning fluid in his drink, Gaviglia said.
"We are still trying to find the exact mixture," he said.

But Jonathan Truesdell said his wife didn't mean to poison him.

"It's just something that happened," he said. "It wasn't made out to do any harm to me or anything. It's just a mistake."
He said he loves his wife, noting that he is at home today caring for her.

The couple has been married 23 years and has two children.

He said he had the court drop a restraining order granted over the weekend ordering her to stay away from him.

"She's getting the counseling she needs and everything is going to be fine," he said. "She's not like the media is making her out to be. She is not a bad, evil person at all."