Crystal Thomas has been arrested for allegedly allowing her 10-year-old son to get a massive tattoo across his forearm. The tattoo was spotted by a school employee, who immediately reported it to law enforcement, per The Smoking Gun. Authorities have busted the New York Mom for endangering the welfare of a juvenile. She was booked on the misdemeanor charge and was released from custody in a Town Court.
The 10-year-old child was placed in the custody of child protective services officials. According to the authorities, the little boy was tattooed inside a hotel room in The Ulster County hotel, approximately 100 miles north of New York City, where the 33-year-old and her two kids reside. Officials have determined in the investigation that the tattoo artist first got permission from the mom before doing the artwork.
The kid's tattoo was his name in "full-size block letters," said Chief James Janso of the Town of Lloyd Police, adding that the tattoo was large enough and would need a sleeve to cover it up. Officers learned of the tattoo earlier this month when the boy asked the nurse at his middle school to put Vaseline on his fresh ink.
The chief said the tattoo artist is a person of interest who could also face charges, including tattooing a minor and endangering the welfare of a child. The whereabouts of the artist are currently unknown.
Why kids shouldn't get a tattoo?
According to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan, a quarter of surveyed high school parents revealed that their teens have brought up getting a tattoo, and almost 80 percent of parents have a clear answer, which is "NO."
One of the main parental concerns of their kids getting a tattoo is the impact on health, both social acceptance and the child's professional career. Topping the list is future regret. Dr. Terrill Bravender, Mott adolescent medicine physician, told the outlet that many pediatricians considered tattoos a marker of risky behavior, including consumption of drugs and alcohol use or school truancy.
According to a 2017 Pew Research Center Study, tattoos have become more mainstream, as approximately a third of people aged 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo. Parents disagree with their child getting a tattoo as they worry about possible infection, diseases such as hepatitis or HIV, and negative judgment by future employers, Michigan Health reported. Also, poorly planned tattoos can cause various health problems in kids.
Underage tattoos are considered a form of child abuse
Truthfully, tattoos breach the skin, which only means that skin infections and other complications are possible, especially in children. This can include allergic reactions as tattoo dyes, specifically red, green, yellow, and blue, can cause an itchy rash on the tattoo. It can still also occur even after years of getting the tattoo.
Although the tattoo is a form of artwork, they can still be dangerous for kids as their skin is a lot different than adults, so they could experience difficulties with their tattoos. Also, tattoo mainly affects the immune system and may gradually expose one to harmful viruses. Tattoos affect the bloodstream, particularly when you get inked somewhere that is not completely regulated or does not follow the safe practice.
Many states have considered tattoos for kids as a form of child abuse and endangerment ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony which means allowing or tattooing a child could lead you anywhere from a year in jail to many years in federal prison, Rescue Youth says.
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