Woman Arrested in Nipple Pulling Case

Another arrest has been made in the case of a toddler who was disfigured after an adult manhandled his nipples.

Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Tina Renea Kline Tuesday and charged her with child neglect.

According to an arrest report, she left the 2-year-old boy in the care of Thomas Matheson on Nov. 16. A previous report from Matheson’s arrest says he was watching the boy on that day in New Port Richey while the boy’s mother was at work.

At some point, Matheson pulled and twisted the boy’s nipples so hard “the skin covering the nipples was removed,” according to an arrest report.

He did not seek medical attention for the boy.

Matheson later called Kline and told her he had caused injuries to the boy’s chest. Kline, 25, did not call the police or make any attempts to provide services for the boy, according to the arrest report.

The boy’s grandparents reported the injuries to the sheriff’s office. The boy was taken to a hospital, where a doctor said the boy's “nipples were completely removed due to trauma and the nipples would not grow back,” according to an arrest report.

A further examination stated, “A delay in medical attention caused the victim further permanent disfigurement.”

Kline, who works as a server at Checkers, was questioned Tuesday and admitted to knowing about the injuries and not taking medical action, according to the sheriff’s office.

She told a detective "she was trying to give Matheson the benefit of the doubt."

Sheriff's office spokesman Doug Tobin would not confirm if Kline is the child's mother.

Kline, who lives in Cypress Trail Apartments was arrested and booked into the Land O’ Lakes Jail, where she remained Wednesday morning in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Matheson was arrested last week and also remains in jail in lieu of bail.

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