Fla. firefighter charged for taking severed foot

[January 28, 2009]  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities said the St. Lucie County firefighter who took a man's severed foot from an Interstate 95 crash scene last year has been charged with misdemeanor theft.

The firefighter told the Florida Highway Patrol after the Sept. 19 crash that she took the remains to help train her cadaver dog. She eventually resigned from the St. Lucie County Fire District. She was arrested Monday.

FHP Lt. Tim Frith said the severity of a theft charge is usually determined by the value of what is stolen. Since there's no law specifically dealing with the theft of a body part, he said it was difficult to determine the monetary value of the foot.

The firefighter was released from jail on her own recognizance Monday afternoon.

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Information from: The Stuart News, http://www.tcpalm.com/

[Associated Press]

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