Florida woman suing cops after ‘tampon forcibly removed’ during arrest

A Florida woman who claims police pointed a gun at her and “forcibly” removed a tampon during a roadside strip search has launched a lawsuit against the cops.

Leila Tarantino said a Citrus County Sheriff’s Department officer stopped her for rolling through a stop sign last July, the Broward-Palm Beach New Times reported.

The officer then drew his gun and told the woman to get out of the car, her lawsuit says, all while her children – ages 1 and 4 – watched from the backseat.

She alleges the cops kept her in the car for two hours before conducting the strip search in plain view of passing cars and trucks, RT.com said.

More from GlobalPost: Man drives tractor over 8 cars

After backup officers arrived, a female officer forcibly removed a tampon to check for drugs, Tarantino’s lawsuit says.

"During her detention, (Tarantino) was frisked and strip searched twice at the side of the busy road in plain view of passers by," the lawsuit alleges. "During one of the strip searches (Tarantino) had a tampon forcibly removed by (an officer)."

Five male and a female officer responded to the July 17, 2011, call.

After it was all said and done, Tarantino left with a ticket for “violating restrictions on her driver’s license,” WTSP.com reported.

Tarantino filed her lawsuit in Beverly Hills, Florida on Aug. 3.

The lawsuit is asking for damages to be determined by a jury.

More from GlobalPost: Randy Travis arrested, naked