South Carolina man gets 12 years for biting off ex-girlfriends lip

A 23-year-old man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for biting off a part of his ex-girlfriend’s lip.

South Carolinian Seth Aaron Fleury pleaded guilty Thursday to assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. He will serve at least 85% of the 12 year sentence before he becomes eligible for parole, according to a release from state solicitor W. Walter Wilkins.

Fleury met his former girlfriend Kayla Hayes on October 21, 2017, to discuss their relationship. Fleury became angry when Hayes was clear that she didn’t want to resume dating him.

He leaned in for a kiss, and as Hayes pulled away, Fleury chomped down on her bottom lip with such force that part of her limp was amputated. He then left the scene, according to the release.

Hayes underwent an unsuccessful procedure in an attempt to have her lip reattached.

She has permanent, serious, scarring and a limited range of motion in her mouth as a result.

Photos of Kayla's injury and recovery:

Fleury’s attorney said he intentionally bit his ex, according to a Facebook post she wrote.

“I had to listen to his attorney say that when he attacked me, it was intentional. Saying that he claimed ‘he was going to leave his mark for me next boyfriend,’” Hayes wrote.

She recalled the attack — which took place nearly a year ago.

“This was the day that a piece of me died...Sitting in a puddle of my own blood with the majority of my lip laying on my leg, my whole mouth on fire, confused and terrified, I didn’t know how I could ever show my face again. At that point, honestly wishing that those very seconds would just be my last- I wanted to give up for good.”

She said she grappled with her new reality post surgery.

“What I just woke up from was no joke. Never a day in my life will I ever wake up living my ‘normal’ life again,” she said.

Wilkins hopes her attacker’s sentence sends a message about domestic violence.

“This case demonstrates the unique circumstances under which domestic violence occurs, and how quickly these situations can escalate into violence,” he said. “Hopefully this prison sentence will make it clear to both this defendant and other abusers that domestic violence in any fashion will not be tolerated.”