A North Carolina man accused of poisoning his wife and daughter will remain in custody

GASTONIA, N.C. — A North Carolina man accused of fatally poisoning his wife and later trying to poison his 10-year-old daughter with eye drops was ordered to remain behind bars Monday after a judge denied his bail withdrawn in response to safety concerns. by prosecutors and his in-laws.

Joshua Hunsucker, a former paramedic, allegedly used tetrahydrozoline — a toxic ingredient found in Visine eye drops — to kill his wife, 32-year-old Stacy Hunsucker, in 2018, according to Gaston County prosecutors. Stacy’s death was initially thought to be due to natural causes related to a pre-existing heart condition, but suspicions arose after her organs, which she had donated, revealed traces of the toxic substance during testing.

Hunsucker, who had been free on a $1.5 million bond since December 2019, now faces additional charges of poisoning his daughter earlier this year. In August, prosecutors accused him of administering the same toxic substance to his 10-year-old daughter, leading to her hospitalization. Following these new allegations, Stacy’s parents, John and Suzie Robinson, filed a motion to have Hunsucker’s bond revoked, citing safety concerns for his children and the Robinson family.

During Monday’s hearing, prosecutors portrayed Hunsucker as a danger not only to his children but also to his in-laws. They alleged that he engaged in a pattern of intimidation and intimidation toward the Robinsons, including following and allegedly threatening the couple, who were involved in the case after Hunsucker allegedly tried to implicate them in the death of his wife and the poisoning of his daughter.

Hunsucker’s alleged actions since his wife’s death have raised additional questions about his behavior, with prosecutors accusing him of child abuse against his two children, now ages 9 and 11. The judge’s decision to revoke his bond means Hunsucker will remain in custody while he waits.