Veronica Cline faces a poisoning charge after she allegedly spiked her date’s drink with Raid, officials said. (Arrest scene screenshot from Volusia County; Mugshot from Volusia County’s Division of Corrections)
A 29-year-old Florida woman faces poisoning charges after authorities say she put Raid roach killer spray in the drink of a man with whom she shares a child after a night at a bar.
Veronica Cline was being held without bail at the Volusia County Branch Jail, online jail records show. It was unclear Saturday if she had an attorney.
A redacted arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime outlines the allegations before dawn on Friday at a home in central Florida’s DeLeon Springs. A deputy was dispatched to a possible assault and battery at about 4:26 a.m. Once there, the deputy made contact with the unidentified distraught victim.
The victim told the deputy that Cline’s child told him she was coming home from drinking at a bar. As she was heading to the residence, she requested the victim serve her an alcoholic beverage so they could drink together, the affidavit said.
The victim told deputies he consumed about two beverages when he began feeling sick. He threw up for about 30 minutes before he could call the police, the affidavit said.
“Veronica stated to [redacted] she added Raid Roach Spray to his last two beverages,” the affidavit said the victim told a deputy. “Veronica stated she wished to do the same to their child they share in common.”
While talking with the deputy, the victim “became extremely ill and could not speak without vomiting.”
He provided an audio recording of the suspect allegedly admitting to putting Raid into his beverage, the affidavit said.
The deputy took the audio, collected photos of the Raid and the beverage, and submitted them into evidence. The victim was taken to the hospital. His condition was not disclosed.
A witness told investigators he overheard the victim and suspect arguing back and forth about the alcohol. He said it was not unusual for the couple to argue but said Cline is “typically the primary aggressor,” the document said.
With the help of a police dog, Cline was arrested near the home. The arrest was captured in police body camera footage.
The couple’s child was placed into the custody of the Department of Children and Families.
The suspect has previous arrests dating to 2016, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, failure to appear for a misdemeanor offense, and no valid driver’s license, the online records show.
In an affidavit in a case from May 31, 2021, she and her boyfriend were arrested after a fight while drinking when a man accused her of pointing a pocketknife in his face. Online records indicate the case was sent to a county court, but details about how the case was resolved were not clear on Saturday. Her public defender, in that case, didn’t immediately return an email Saturday seeking comment.
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