A 20-year-old man appeared in court Tuesday on allegations that he deliberately put bleach in his pregnant girlfriend’s water in an attempt to harm the unborn child.
Theophilous Washington waived a preliminary hearing on several charges, including an additional charge of attempted murder that prosecutors filed at the hearing.
District Judge Joshua Keller ordered Washington be tried in Lancaster County Court on that charge and counts of attempted murder of an unborn child and reckless endangerment.
Washington, a Millersville University student at the time of the Oct. 28 incident, is at Lancaster County Prison on $1 million bail.
Millersville University police allege that Washington provided the female with a bottle of water, which he knew contained bleach. She drank some of the liquid at her on-campus room, vomited, then called 911.
A doctor examined the female victim, then approximately 2-months’ pregnant, and the unborn baby. Both are believed to be physically unharmed. Washington is the father of the unborn child.
Both Washington and the female victim provided statements to police.
Washington admitted to putting bleach in the water bottle. He had stated previously that he did not want the female to have the child.
The attempted murder charge was filed Tuesday in regards to the female victim.
Millersville University officials have said there was never any threat to the safety of other students.
Millersville University police Deputy Chief Howard Bauman filed charges in consultation with First Assistant District Attorney Christopher P. Larsen and Assistant District Attorney Andrew T. LeFever.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us;
Twitter: @BrettHambright