A Wisconsin woman is facing serious charges after investigators say she secretly laced her ex-husband’s drinks with eye drops for months, allegedly to keep him dependent on her care.
Jessica Meis, 37, is currently held at the Portage County Jail on a $100,000 bond. She faces charges of aggravated battery with a domestic violence modifier along with two counts of placing foreign substances into consumable items.
According to a criminal complaint, Meis’ ex-husband contacted local police after growing suspicious that something had been added to his drinks. He told investigators he had suffered unexplained symptoms since 2021 — exhaustion, dizziness, headaches, and extended periods of fatigue — with several severe episodes requiring hospitalization between July and September last year. Even after the pair finalized their divorce and began living separately, Meis reportedly still visited often since they shared custody of their three children.
Growing suspicious, the ex-husband installed a hidden camera in his kitchen earlier this month. Investigators say footage allegedly shows Meis pouring liquid from a small container into his water bottle while deliberately positioning herself so the children in the home couldn’t see what she was doing. Another clip allegedly shows her emptying eye drops into a drink later consumed by someone else, who preserved the container as evidence.
When questioned, Meis initially claimed she was only adding a saline remedy for his blood pressure. She later admitted to police that she had been putting Visine drops into his energy drinks, water, and other beverages “many times,” and said she had also attempted to contaminate his CPAP machine, though she didn’t believe that attempt worked.
Investigators say Meis told them she wanted him to fall sick enough that he would need her help — and depend on her again. When asked whether she worried about her children accidentally consuming the tainted drinks, she reportedly said they don’t use those beverages. Police noted she showed no remorse during questioning.
Meis is scheduled to appear in court again on July 27.