A police response to what initially appeared to be a routine domestic dispute has exposed allegations that have deeply shaken a Florida family.
On August 21, deputies in Polk County, an area between Tampa and Orlando, were called to investigate a reported altercation involving a mother and her adult son.
Christina Clemens, 46, told authorities that her 22-year-old son, Shane, pushed her during an argument after she accused him of taking her phone.
However, during questioning at the police station, Shane made a far more disturbing disclosure. According to police records obtained by Our News Outlet, he told investigators that he and his mother had been involved in a secret sexual relationship for years, allegedly without the knowledge of his stepfather, who lived in the home.
Shane said he had been separated from Christina for much of his childhood and did not re-enter her life until he was 18.
Neighbors in the mobile home community outside Lakeland described Shane as reserved after moving there several years ago. They said he generally kept to himself, while his mother — an Uber driver known locally as Tina — was more outgoing and frequently socialized.
Christina also appeared to present a close family image online, regularly posting Facebook photographs of her children, including Shane, during trips and other outings.
Over the previous four years, Christina’s husband, identified in police records only by his first name, Terry, had noticed that his wife and her son seemed to be growing increasingly close.
Christina Clemens has been charged with having an incestuous relationship with her son
Shane Clemens confessed to the relationship, arrest documents show, after being arrested for allegedly assaulting his mother
‘Terry is a nice man, very sweet,’ said Dot Wright, who lives nearby. ‘He must be devastated. He wouldn’t have had any idea that Tina was doing that. He would never put up with that.’
Terry later told investigators that he had no knowledge of an alleged relationship between Christina and Shane. He also said he had believed the couple’s marriage was happy, according to police records.
CBS12 reported that Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Terry had found it suspicious that Christina and Shane would enter the primary bedroom together and lock the door.
According to police records, Shane told deputies that he and Christina had attempted to hide the alleged relationship from others in the community. He said the encounters took place when no one else was home or after the household had gone to sleep.
Saul Marino, another resident of the neighborhood, described Christina as a friendly, outgoing woman who was often seen with her children.
Marino, 31, said: ‘I think a lot of guys notice her. But I didn’t think it would be with Shane. I didn’t know him well, but he was really quiet.’
During his first interview with investigators, Shane said the confrontation with his mother began because he wanted to end their sexual relationship.
He told police that their most recent sexual encounter had taken place two days before the argument, according to the arrest records.
Shane reiterated that he had not been raised by Christina and had only reconnected with her after he turned 18.
In his account to investigators, Shane said Christina initially rejected his advances because he was her son. He alleged, however, that the boundary was eventually crossed.
Christina proudly shared pictures of her children on family trips and outings
Shane admitted to cops that he and Christina concealed their sick relationship from the other people living around them, police records show
Shane alleged that the pair began a sexual relationship approximately four years ago. He told investigators that cameras inside the living room and bedroom had recorded some of their encounters.
Christina subsequently admitted to detectives that she had engaged in sexual intercourse with Shane ‘only about 100 times’ and acknowledged that their relationship involved other sexual activity, police records show.
Both were arrested and their mugshots spread across social media, shocking their local community.
What unfolded in the Lakeland home is an example of what psychologists call Genetic Sexual Attraction (GSA) — a phenomenon that can occur when biological relatives separated early in life reunite as adults.
Unlike family bonds formed during close childhood proximity, relatives who meet for the first time as adults sometimes lack these psychological safeguards.
The result can be an overwhelming attraction.
It is unclear when Shane and Christina became estranged — neither responded to Our News Outlet’s request for comment. We also reached out to their public defenders.
The case took a twist when investigators were monitoring Shane’s telephone calls from jail.
During a conversation with a number identified as belonging to his mother, Christina allegedly asked Shane if he wanted to ‘stop doing what we do.’ She then allegedly told him to convince Terry that the allegations weren’t true.
Christina admitted to detectives that she had engaged in sexual intercourse with Shane ‘only about 100 times,’ according to police records
‘You need to tell Terry that you’re a liar and you only said that because you were mad,’ Christina allegedly told her son on the recorded call.
She also made clear she wanted Shane’s phone as soon as he was released: ‘Before you get in my car, when I pick you up, I want that phone in my hand, because I will delete all evidence in that phone.’
The recorded call gave investigators evidence of awareness and an intent to conceal.
Both Christina and Shane have been charged with third-degree felony incest, which is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Christina also faces a charge of ‘living in open adultery’ — a second-degree misdemeanor under Florida law — since she was legally married to Terry throughout the alleged relationship.
Shane also faces the original misdemeanor domestic violence battery charge stemming from the confrontation that exposed the relationship.
Christina was arrested on August 26. Shane was arrested on the incest charge shortly after midnight on August 27.
Polk County Sheriff Judd told Our News Outlet he considered the case deeply troubling.
Christina and Shane are charged with incest and face up to five years in prison and $5,000 fines
‘They both knew that what they were doing was not only immoral, but it was illegal. I’m sure they were also embarrassed because this isn’t the type of thing you want people to know.
‘But it’s illegal. You have to remember that. What if Christina got pregnant? That could cause all sorts of problems. We never considered letting this slide; we had to charge them.’
When Our News Outlet visited the family’s home this week, an unidentified man told us: ‘Get out of here, no one here is going to talk about it.’
Judd isn’t surprised that the family has no comment.
‘What else can you say?’ the famously outspoken sheriff says. ‘I am almost at a loss for words.’
And Judd had a message for Shane about the extraordinary chain of events his alleged shove set in motion.
‘Shane, you ought not to ever lay a hand on your mama for a lot of reasons,’ Judd said. ‘But you have one more reason why you shouldn’t. Now everyone knows that you were having sex with your mama.’
