Two Iowa Residents Charged for Drugging Lasagna to Cause Pregnant Woman's Miscarriage

Matthew Uthoff and Amber Snow allegedly brought a lasagna to a Decorah family home on December 28, 2025. Lab testing later confirmed the dish contained oxycodone.

Uthoff, 35, and Snow, 36, both residents of Decorah in Winneshiek County, are accused of delivering the drug-laced dish with a deliberate purpose: causing a pregnant woman in the family to miscarry, according to the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office. Snow was the first to be arrested, taken into custody on March 10. Uthoff, identified as the second suspect in the case, was subsequently arrested on a Thursday by the Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office. Both are now held in the Winneshiek County Jail, each facing seven criminal charges that include delivery of a controlled substance and purposefully terminating a human pregnancy without the knowledge and voluntary consent of the pregnant individual, according to court documents.

Testing by the Iowa DCI Crime Lab confirmed the presence of oxycodone in the lasagna, providing the forensic link at the center of the case. The Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office has stated the investigation remains ongoing.

The criminal complaint reveals how directly the alleged plot intersected with the family's daily arrangements. Snow shared custody of her child with members of the victim's family, and that same child was present during three key moments: the preparation of the lasagna, its delivery, and when it was eaten, according to the complaint. Court records also show that Uthoff and Snow allegedly discussed the tainted dish in several phone messages and in separate conversations with investigators. Local reports indicated the fetus survived, though the pregnant woman's full condition has not been confirmed in official statements.

The case has drawn regional attention in part because the alleged means of harm was a shared meal, one of the most trusted and unremarkable gestures in family life. NIH-linked research found that opioid use during the first four weeks of pregnancy more than doubled the risk of miscarriage, with that risk rising 2.5 times higher for exposure in weeks four through eight, context that underscores why the alleged act carried potentially irreversible consequences for the pregnant woman.

Domestic violence advocates have long noted that coercive control can extend well beyond physical confrontation to the manipulation of food and medication, particularly in households where custody disputes or family conflict create both motive and access. Unusual pressure on a specific person to eat food prepared off-site by someone with a known grievance, or a controlling pattern around a pregnant family member's meals, can signal elevated risk and warrants attention.

Anyone experiencing coercive control or intimate partner violence can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline around the clock at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Iowa residents can also contact the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence at (515) 244-8028, which connects survivors to local programs statewide. Suspected food tampering should be reported immediately to local law enforcement.

Bond figures for Uthoff differ between sources, ranging from $38,000 to $100,000 cash; the verified amounts and the complete itemized list of charges against both defendants are on file with the Winneshiek County Clerk of Court.