A CALIFORNIAN woman was in custody overnight accused of cutting off her husband's penis before tossing it into the garbage disposal.

Catherine Kieu Becker, 48, allegedly drugged the man's food to render him unconscious, tied him to a bed and then hacked off the reproductive organ with a knife, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Her 51-year-old husband - by now awake but gushing blood from his crotch - could do nothing as she allegedly tossed the severed penis into the garbage disposal before switching it on.

Ms Becker reportedly rang police herself who arrived at the couple's house in Garden Grove, about 48km southeast of Los Angeles, to find the man still bound to the bed. He was untied and rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.

Ms Becker reportedly confessed to officers she had drugged her partner's meal before carrying out yesterday's gruesome attack.

She was arrested on charges of aggravated mayhem - punishable by up to life in prison - as well as false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon, administering a drug with intent to commit a felony, poisoning and spousal abuse, the Times reported.

"The intention by this person was to permanently deprive this victim of his genitalia," said Garden Grove Police Lt. Jeff Nightengale.

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