Man Cut Off Nipples Of Pregnant Ex-Girlfriend After Coming Over To 'Talk'

A man has been arrested after he allegedly used scissors to cut off his pregnant ex-girlfriend's nipples.

Tony Ledbetter, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, faces multiple counts of aggravated assault following the incident on Tuesday.

The 45-year-old allegedly went to his former lover's home at around 5 pm. An argument ensued, and things escalated when the victim began screaming.

Ledbetter is accused of using his forearm to pin the victim's neck before stuffing a blanket in her mouth to silence her, reports Keloland.

Then, he grabbed a pair of scissors and took off her nipples.

Sam Clemens, Sioux Falls Police Public Information Officer, said,

He ended up punching her in the face. Slamming her in the ground [...] The really disturbing part is he went and grabbed some scissors and sat on top of her and used those scissors to cut off her nipples.

Somehow, she managed to free herself and get away from Ledbetter.

Emergency services arrived after Ledbetter dialed 911. The victim was taken to hospital, and details of her condition are not known at this stage.

A GoFundMe account has been set up for the victim. Part of the description reads,

After a tenuous break-up, she and the abuser were discussing how to best get along when he punched her, slammed her head on the ground and tried to get her to stop screaming by putting pressure on her throat with his forearm and stuffing a blanket in her mouth. He grabbed a pair of scissors, sat on her, and cut off her nipples. She escaped and was rushed to the emergency room. Tests revealed that the unborn child was safe.

The money will go toward reconstructive surgery and child care provisions.

This story is extremely disturbing, especially since October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.