Woman Survives 'Fatal Attraction' Poisoning
March 22, 2006 — -- Angie Hausler, 33, is recovering in a St. Louis hospital after being the victim of a crime with echoes of the movie "Fatal Attraction." Hausler was allegedly poisoned by a neighbor, Tina Vazquez, who police say was in love with Hausler's husband, Brian Hausler, and wanted to get rid of her so she could marry him.
"I never led her on," said Brian Hausler, "I mean, not that I know of."
Brian Hausler says they met Vazquez, 33, six to eight months ago, a few months after they had moved to rural Terre Bonne, Mo. Vazquez's husband left her over Christmas and since then she and her two kids have been a constant presence in the Hausler household.
Vazquez, 33, is now in custody and charged with first-degree assault. If convicted, Vazquez faces a maximum of life in prison. She allegedly confessed first to Brian Hausler, and then to police.
"She said, 'well I put something in Angie's medicine,' " Brian Hausler said. "And, I asked her, when? what'd you do?' and she hesitated for a few seconds and she said, 'I put neo-nitrate in her medicine.' "
Sodium nitrate is a chemical used to cure meat, which can be fatal in large doses. Police believe Vazquez got it at the meat plant where she works and slipped it into capsules of amoxicillin, which she offered to Angie Hausler when she was feeling ill.
Left untreated, authorities say sodium nitrate takes oxygen out of the blood and could be fatal if ingested by humans. Angie Hausler collapsed about 20 minutes after taking one of the capsules of amoxicillin, and then called 911.
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