Chuntera Napier (above left) and her 10 year old son, Gaquan, of Cobb County, show off their new ink to news reports yesterday.

Napier was arrested earlier this week after someone at her son’s school reported his new tattoo.  She bonded out Wednesday after being charged with misdemeanor child cruelty for allowing her 10-year-old son to get the tattoo.

Yes.  She actually granted permission for her son to get his first tatt inked permanently on his arm at the age of TEN.

Chuntera said she only did it because her son wanted to honor his older brother who died in a drunk driving incident, and she had no idea it was illegal for the youngster to get tatted up…

Details…

“It made me feel good to know that he wanted his brother on him,” Napier said.

 Napier’s other son, Malik, was hit and killed by a teenaged drunk driver two years ago at the age of 12 and she says her family is still grieving his death.

She also has her own tattoos in Malik’s honor.

“My son came to me and said, ‘Mom, I want to get a tattoo with Malik on it, rest in peace.’

What do I say to a child who wants to remember his brother?” Napier said. “It’s not like he was asking me, ‘Can I get Sponge Bob? Like people getting all kinds of things on them.

He asked me something that’s in remembrance of his brother. How can I say no?”

When asked why he wanted to get the tattoo, Gaquan said, “Because it represents my brother.”

Napier reportedly took the 10 year old to a tattoo artist in Smyrna where he got a tattoo featuring his deceased brother’s old jersey number (3) along with the words “Malik R.I.P.”

Someone at Gaquan’s school noticed his new tattoo and promptly contacted authorities. The mom was arrested Tuesday and charged with misdemeanor cruelty and being a party to a crime.

A 2010 Georgia law states: “It shall be unlawful for any person to tattoo the body of any person under the age of 18, except a physician or osteopath.”

Napier says that as a parent, she should have the final say so about what her child gets tattooed on his body.

“I always thought that if a parent gave consent, then it was fine,” Napier said.

“How can somebody else say that it’s not OK? He’s my child, and I have the right to say what I want for my child. I can’t go tell anybody else what I want for their child,” Napier said.

Napier bonded out Wednesday and plans to fight the charges. The artist who gave the tattoo is also under investigation. (source)

How young is TOO YOUNG to get a tattoo?

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