Police: Pregnant woman forced to drink toilet water, bleach

ST. PETERS, Mo. (AP)

An eastern Missouri man is accused of holding his pregnant girlfriend captive, punching her and forcing her to drink toilet water and bleach.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that 40-year-old Ronnie William Howard of St. Peters is charged with kidnapping, domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon. He is jailed on $300,000 cash-only bail.

Police say the crime happened Wednesday at the 20-year-old victim's apartment in St. Peters. She made a video call to a relative about the crime. The relative called the woman's mother, who called police.

The victim was treated at a hospital.

A police probable cause statement says Howard has convictions in another state for kidnapping, assault by strangulation, assault with a firearm and stealing a motor vehicle. He does not have a listed attorney.