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Wife Bites Off Husband's Tongue During Goodnight Kiss; Sings Christmas Carols

Karen Lueders

WAUWATOSA, WI – A 79-year-old man had his tongue bitten off by his wife after he tried to give her a goodnight kiss.

Victim Willard Lueders was able to mumble to emergency dispatchers that he needed an ambulance at his home in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

When police arrived at the house his wife Karen, 57, threw coffee at the officers.

They were able to find the severed tongue and it was packed in ice and rushed to hospital where doctors were attempting to re-attach it to the victim.

Police spokesman Sgt. Terry Meyer said the married couple had been singing Christmas carols and were on their way to bed.

He said when the husband gave his wife a goodnight kiss she bit off his tongue and grabbed him.

Mrs Lueders was arrested on domestic violence charges and is being held in lieu of bail..

She was also ordered to undergo a mental evaluation.

In a written statement, her husband said the incident began when he went into the bathroom while his wife was on the toilet.

When he leaned over to kiss her, she went into a ‘manic state,’ grabbing his genitals and biting off his tongue.

Mr Lueders said his wife had been behaving oddly in the preceding days, speaking very fast and talking about spiritual things.

The criminal complaint said Karen Lueders was ‘still carrying a New Year’s horn in her hand and singing Christmas carols’ outside her house as officers arrived on scene, according to The Sheboygan Press.

She blew the horn in an officer’s ear when they asked what had happened and threw a cup of coffee at police.

The Sheboygan Press also reports that while Lueders did not speak during her court appearance, she leaned over to a reporter as she was escorted out and said, ‘I love you, it’s too bad you don’t listen.’

As she left the courtroom she continuted in a ‘singsong voice’ saying, "I love you. Karen Lueders.’

She is being held in jail and an administrator said precautions are taken for inmates with potential mental health concerns.