Woman arrested for cutting off husband's penis

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (KABC) -- Garden Grove police arrested a woman for allegedly tying her estranged husband up and cutting off his penis with a 10-inch knife.

Authorities responded to a condominium complex in the 14000 block of Flower Street about 9 p.m. Monday after the woman, identified as 48-year-old Catherine Kieu Becker, reported a medical emergency. When officers arrived, they found a 60-year-old man tied to a bed and bleeding profusely from his groin area.

Police said the woman drugged the man during dinner to make him sleepy, tied his arms and legs to a bed with a rope, removed his clothes and attacked him. The victim woke up as she was cutting off his penis with a knife.

"The officers immediately called for paramedics, untied the victim from the bed. The wife at that time made the spontaneous statement that he 'deserved it,'" Garden Grove police Lt. Jeff Nightengale said.

The woman allegedly tossed the penis into the garbage disposal and then turned it on. According to police, officers and paramedics were able to recover pieces of the penis and transported them with the victim to University of California at Irvine Medical Center in Orange.

The victim underwent surgery and was listed in stable condition and is expected to survive.

According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, Becker was placed in the medical ward of the Orange County Jail to be evaluated.

Police say the two are married but are going through a divorce.

Lourdes Painter, who lives in the unit below the victim's, said the couple was married in December but never heard the couple have problems.

Asked if she ever heard any trouble coming from the condo, Painter said, "No, nothing at all. No scream, nothing."

She described him as a nice man who was the president of their homeowner's association.

"I was very surprised that she would do that kind of thing since their relationship seemed strong, seemed like they got along well," said another neighbor, Phuong Anh Pham.

Becker was arrested for aggravated mayhem, false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon, administering a drug with intent to commit felony, poisoning and spousal abuse. Her bail was set at $1 million. She is due in court Wednesday.

If convicted on the aggravated mayhem charge, she could be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

In an earlier version of this report, the victim was identified as a 51-year-old man. He is in fact 60 years old.

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