Two Georgia women are in trouble after a 12-year-old girl was found to have a shoulder tattoo that read "Jesus Loves."
The girl's mother, 35-year-old Emmie Nolan, and tattoo artist Brenda Gaddy were arrested for their involvement in allegedly inking her body in February.
The fifth grader's teacher spotted the tattoo on the girl's shoulder during a school dance in March, according to South Carolina's WLTX-TV. She described the tattoo as a "bluish-green cross with the word 'Jesus' above the cross and 'Loves' below it," according to WLTX.
When investigators first looked into the situation, the girl told them her father made her get the tattoo but she later recanted and said she actually wanted it herself, according to Georgia's WTVM.
One investigator told WLTX that the case essentially came down to "finger pointing."
The girl's father, whom Nolan told police had no contact with her daughter, denied any involvement, telling officers he believed she got the tattoo at a Super Bowl party, which was confirmed by witnesses who filmed Gaddy tattooing a minor at the party.
Gaddy admitted to officers that she tattooed the girl but said Nolan gave her permission to do so, according to WLTX.
Nolan faces a misdemeanor charge of being a party to a crime. Gaddy faces a charge of tattooing the body of a minor.
Georgia's division of children's services are investigating the girl's living situation. She's been moved to the home of relatives, according to WLTX.
Clint Davis is a reporter for the Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis. Keep up to date with the latest news by following @ScrippsNational on Twitter.
