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Sebring Woman Accused Of Biting Baby's Face
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Published: July 15, 2008
SEBRING - A Sebring woman remained in Highlands County Jail in lieu of $7,000 bond Monday after sheriff's investigators say she intentionally bit a 1-year-old boy on the face to discipline the baby for head-butting and biting.
Contessa Lorraine Strange, 28, also known as Contessa Lorraine Mathes, with a street name of "Tess," was charged with domestic violence related cruelty toward a child by an act that could result in physical or mental injury, possession of methamphetamine, possession of not more than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Sheriff's deputy Thomas B. Fort, accompanied by an unnamed investigator with an undisclosed government agency, reported that at 8:48 p.m. Friday, July 11, they were called to Strange's Sebring address and charged her with willfully and intentionally biting the victim on his face.
Fort stated that when he and the investigator knocked at the door of a green travel trailer parked in the woods behind a residence, Strange came to the door and allowed them inside.
When the investigator told Strange about a complaint received by the agency about her having bitten the victim and about continued drug use at the residence, Strange became "noticeably upset," Fort stated in his report.
The investigator asked to see the child and Strange went to the bedroom to get the boy. Fort noted in his report that he could see what he believed was marijuana, some rolling papers and a glass pipe with a white residue on it.
Methamphetamine was later found inside the trailer, the report stated.
When she brought the child out, Fort wrote he could see redness on the child's forehead and neck and on the right side of the child's face. The markings were photographed by the investigator.
Strange reportedly told them, "Yes, I bit him on the face, he has a problem with head butting people and biting people, so I bit him to teach him a lesson. What else am I supposed to do? He doesn't understand that he can't bite people."
The investigator told Strange that "biting her child on the face is not an accepted disciplinary action," Fort reported.
It was not clear from the report who had taken custody of the child.
Joe Seelig can be reached at 863- 386-5834 or jseelig@highlandstoday.com
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