A Massachusetts judge dismissed an attempted-poisoning charge against a Brookline man accused of misleading a pregnant woman into taking medication that allegedly ended her pregnancy, citing the specific legal requirements of the state’s poisoning statute.

According to court records, Robert Kawada was indicted on multiple charges, including attempted poisoning and assault and battery on a pregnant person. Prosecutors allege he gave the woman Misoprostol (commonly used in medication abortion) while telling her it was an iron supplement.

In a March 16, 2026 ruling, Middlesex Superior Court Judge Keren Goldenberg dismissed the attempted-poisoning count after finding that prosecutors did not meet the statute’s evidentiary threshold. Under Massachusetts law, attempted poisoning requires proof that a poisonous substance is “mingled with food, drink or medicine.” The court concluded that the evidence showed the pills were given directly and instructed to be taken orally, but were not mixed with any food, drink, or other medication as defined by the statute.

The ruling did not address the underlying allegations regarding how the medication was obtained or administered. Kawada continues to face charges of assault and battery on a pregnant person and assault and battery on a household or family member. The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office has appealed the dismissal to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

According to reporting by Live Action, Kawada met the woman on a dating app and they dated for several months. After the relationship ended, the woman learned she was pregnant. The report alleges Kawada did not want the pregnancy and misled her into taking abortion drugs by telling her they were iron pills or other supplements.

The case remains pending, with trial scheduled for October 2026.