Three Charged in Case of Tattooed Children in Virginia

A grand jury in Campbell County has indicted three people on charges related to the tattooing of two children.

The charges were handed down against the mother of the girls, her boyfriend and the man who allegedly tattooed the kids.

The sheriff's office says 20-year-old Alexander Michael Edwards was taking care of the children, ages 11 and 13, on Dec. 22 when they were tattooed without the consent of their parents. He was charged with two counts each of malicious wounding, abduction and felony child abuse.

The charges against 35-year-old Melissa Delp and her live-in boyfriend, 32-year-old Daniel Janney, stem from their alleged attempts to remove the tattoos off the child's arms using a razor.

They face two counts each of malicious wounding and child neglect, the News & Advance reported:

A search warrant affidavit filed Jan. 14 in Campbell County Circuit Court states the oldest child said Edwards tattooed her name on her left shoulder with a tattoo gun. The victim said after Delp and Janney discovered the tattoo, Janney used a heated razor blade to burn it off.

The affidavit says the older child told investigators Janney used another razor blade to remove one of her younger sister’s tattoos.

Campbell County Sheriff's Maj. L.T. Guthrie told the News & Advance the attempt to remove the tattoos "didn't help the situation any" and added more scarring.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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