Husband's tongue bitten off during kiss

A Sheboygan woman accused of biting off her husband’s tongue while kissing him was charged on Tuesday with felony mayhem and ordered to undergo a mental evaluation. Karen Lueders, 57, of 2833 Windepoint Court, severed half of Willard Lueders’ tongue during a “manic episode” at about 11 p.m. on Monday, authorities said. She now faces a rarely used felony — related to intentional disfigurement or mutilation — that carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.

A criminal complaint said Karen Lueders was “still carrying a New Year’s horn in her hand and singing Christmas carols” outside her house as the first police officers arrived on scene. They had been summoned by a 911 call from her husband. As officers asked what kind of help was needed, Karen Lueders blew the horn in an officer’s ear. She also threw a coffee cup at police.



Police found Willard Lueders, 79, in a bedroom holding gauze to his mouth. Emergency responders told police his tongue had been bitten off, and by nodding to officers’ questions he confirmed that his wife was responsible. Lueders also told officers she had bitten off her husband's tongue. In a later written statement, he 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.

Willard Lueders said his wife had been behaving oddly in the preceding days, speaking very fast and talking about spiritual things. Police recovered the severed half of Willard Lueders’ tongue and sent it with him to Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center. He was later transferred to Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Wauwatosa, where doctors worked to reattach the tongue. Froedtert spokeswoman Kathy Sieja said Willard Lueders was in satisfactory condition, but he would not allow additional information to be released.

There's a news video here. Many thanks Katrina!