News

TX Doc Charged With Poisoning Her Lover and Co-Worker's Coffee

By Christine Hsu | Update Date: Jun 10, 2013 10:13 AM EDT

Let this story be another reason why you shouldn't mix work with pleasure.

A Texas doctor has been accused of poisoning her lover and coworker's coffee with sweet-tasting chemical used in antifreeze.

Gonzales-Angulo was charged last week with aggravated assault against Blumenschein. The two were in "a causal sexual relationship," according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Houston Chronicle.

Ana Maria Gonzales-Angulo, a breast cancer oncologist at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, allegedly gave her coworker, head and neck cancer specialist Dr. George Blumenschein, a cup of coffee at her home in late January.

On Jan. 27 Gonzales-Angulo had served Blumenschein coffee that tasted sweet. He had questioned her about his beverage because he drinks his coffee black.

The 42-year-old woman had told Blumenschein that she added Splenda to his coffee and urged him to keep drinking his toxic beverage. The truth was that she had laced his coffee with ethylene glycol, a sweet-tasting toxic chemical used in antifreeze and medical research.

Four hours after Blumenschein gulped down two cups of the sweet-tasting coffee, he starting slurring in his speech and experiencing poor balance and loss of fine motor skills, according to the affidavit.

Medical records revealed that Blumenschein, who had joined M.D. Anderson in 2000, was taken to the hospital 16 hours after drinking the coffee. Doctors later found that he had cardiopulmonary complications, central nervous system depression and renal failure and had to undergo dialysis.

A 24-hour urine test found crystals consistent with ethylene glycol poisoning, and a toxicology report revealed that Blumenschein's acute severe metabolic acidosis "more likely than not" was cause by ethylene glycol poisoning, according to Associated Press.

According to the Houston Chronicle, a UT police officer filed the criminal complaint on May 29, and Gonzalez-Angulo was booked May 30. However, she was later released on $50,000 bail.

Gonzalez-Angulo has denied the charge and her lawyer Derek Hollingsworth told Houston Chronicle that she is "completely innocent."

"She is a distinguished citizen and scientist, and these allegations are totally inconsistent with her personal and professional life," Hollingsworth said in a statement.

M.D. Anderson officials told reporters that Gonzalez-Angulo was on paid administrative leave, but declined to comment further, according to the Daily News.

© 2023 Counsel & Heal All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics