Florida woman arrested on incest charge after birthing brother's baby, deputies say

LEESBURG, Fla. -- (WKMG) -- A Florida woman was arrested on incest charges after her baby was born with medical complications and tests performed at Winnie Palmer Hospital showed the child's father was a close relative, according to an arrest report.

Deputies said Pauline Martin, 33, gave birth to a baby on Nov. 21. The baby had several medical problems when born and was transferred to Winnie Palmer Hospital within hours of its birth. Genetic testing done at the hospital showed that the child's father was a close relative, according to the report.

The Department of Children and Families was contacted when neither parent filled out the proper Medicaid paperwork for the child or obtained a birth certificate, according to the report.

Officials with DCF along with Lake County deputies met with the defendant, who told them the baby's father was her biological brother, according to the report. Deputies said she would complete the paperwork the next day, but it was not completed until Feb. 26.

Deputies later interviewed Martin at her workplace, McDonald's, where she informed them that she had been in a romantic and sexual relationship with her brother for five years, according to the report. Deputies said she informed them that her brother was aware that he was the father of the child. She informed deputies that she has a 12-year-old daughter with a different father, according to the report.

Martin told deputies she was going to end the relationship because "she knows it is wrong," and that she was talking to another man, according to the report.

She informed deputies that she had sexual relations with her brother the night before the interview, which gave them probable cause for arrest, according to the report.

Martin stood up from the table and tried to run toward the back of the McDonald's restaurant, according to the report. Deputies said they were able to arrest her and got her to calm down in order to transport her in the front seat.

Once in the front seat, the detective said Martin started getting upset and spitting from her mouth as she was talking. She then yelled "F--- this!" and and began flailing her legs around in an attempt to kick the detective, according to the report. Deputies said she was restrained with leg shackles and continued to yell profanities.

Martin was transported to the Lake County Jail and arrested on charges of incest and resisting arrest without violence. Her bond was set at $1,000.