An Iowa woman who previously blogged about the dangers of “harmful chemicals and other toxins” has pleaded guilty to poisoning her husband using eyedrops, according to court records. Daisy Zantjer, 39, was charged in August with two counts of administering harmful substances and domestic abuse causing bodily injury, per Marion County court records. On Thursday, Zantjer pleaded guilty to one count of each charge, with sentencing now scheduled for November 7.
The case stems from two incidents in July 2023, during which Zantjer admitted to poisoning her husband, Allan Zantjer, by secretly adding eyedrops containing tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride to his drinks. The chemical, commonly found in over-the-counter eye drops, can be dangerous if ingested in large amounts. Court documents detail the charge, stating, “Daisy Zantjer did admit during an interview to administering a harmful substance, on two separate occasions, called tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride to her husband Allan Zantjer, in July of 2023.”
The domestic abuse charges outline how Zantjer’s actions caused physical harm to her husband. “On or about the above-stated date and time, the Defendant committed domestic assault against Allan Zantjer, causing injury to him by giving him Tetrahydrozoline in his drink without his knowledge,” the documents add.
The case has drawn particular attention due to Zantjer’s history of blogging about the dangers of toxic chemicals. According to Law&Crime, a woman with the same name posted a series of articles on LinkedIn several years ago warning readers about chemicals in everyday household products. Pleasantville Police Chief Joe Mrstik previously confirmed that the anti-toxin author and the admitted poisoner “appear to be” the same person, reported Law and Crime.
In an October 2018 blog post, Daisy Zantjer wrote, “I am a Christian woman who wants to do right by her family, and part of that is keeping them free from harmful chemicals and other toxins that could destroy their body.” Another post from November of that year added, “It’s like feeding someone arsenic. It’s not going to kill that person right away. It’s killing them slowly.” The blog encouraged readers to shop from organic retailers, offering a link to her website for those interested in “toxic-free” products.
Zantjer was arrested on July 30, 2024, by local and state police. Initially, she was held on a $12,000 cash or surety bond, but after pleading guilty, the bond was reduced to $6,000. The court will deliver her sentence in November.
