Mom Arrested for Filming Daughter Licking Medical Equipment in Clinic
Florida mother filmed child lick tongue depressors for viral video
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A Florida mom, who filmed her daughter licking medical equipment in a Jacksonville clinic for a viral video prank, has been arrested by police, according to reports.
30-year-old Cori Ward filmed her daughter as she licked tongue depressors before placing them back in their container and sealing the lid again.
Ward was arrested Thursday on felony tampering charges and taken to the Duval County jail, local news is reporting.
News4Jax reports that the mother of five recorded a video of the young girl licking the item and putting it back amid a new trend of viral videos featuring people licking ice cream and placing the products back on the shelf.
Remember that viral video of the girl licking a tongue depressor at a local clinic and putting it back? Now, her mother has been arrested. https://t.co/fhbxjKTCYu
— News4JAX (@wjxt4) July 11, 2019
Ward then uploaded the video to social media where it quickly went viral.
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Tampering with a consumer product is a first-degree felony, however, and carries up to 20 years in prison.
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According to the Epoch Times, the All About Kids & Families Medical Center clinic in Jacksonville called the police to investigate after the video went viral.
Ward told the station that she shot the video and posted it on Snapchat.
“I had just been waiting a long time,” said Ward.
“I was just being silly with my kids.”
Mom of girl seen licking medical equipment in Jacksonville-area doctor's office arrested. This comes after several viral videos of the #icecreamchallenge surfaced https://t.co/OascrnXm4x
— Bridgette Matter (@bridgetteANjax) July 11, 2019
“It’s ruined my life right now. That’s how I feel at least,” she added.
The dentist’s office said the items in the room were removed and resanitized.
“This type of behavior is not tolerated at All About Kids and Families Medical Center. Each year, we serve thousands of patients, and providing quality care and ensuring their safety is our top priority,” the office said.
“We were notified yesterday that a patient violated our trust with behavior that is inconsistent with the practices and standards that we uphold and expect at our facility,” reads a statement, reported Fox News.
“Upon notification of this isolated incident, we contacted law enforcement to request a full and thorough investigation.
"In addition, we immediately removed all materials and container from the specific exam room and re-sanitized our entire facility.
"Our internal investigation does not reveal any resulting risks or harm to patients from this action.”
Yesterday I received a statement from the doctor's office where the incident happened saying staff was requesting a full law enforcement investigation. I'm reaching out to the office again for their reaction to Ward's arrest @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/unhZT2UYPN
— Beth Rousseau (@BethANJax) July 11, 2019
“I mean honestly, I wasn’t thinking,” Ward told Action News Jax while adding that video doesn’t tell the entire story.
She claimed to have disposed of the depressor and “removed the items that were even surrounding it.”
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Ward claimed that she knew nothing about the viral ice cream videos. She said, “I know what it’s like to, you know, have to worry about your kids' health and stuff.
"I would never put somebody else’s kid at risk.”
“It’s horrible. I mean, I’m scared for my kids, especially, my oldest that’s out and on her own since they posted her photo,” she said.
Dr. Sunil Joshi told the station that the actions seen in viral videos could have serious health consequences.
“This is how viral infection spreads, right, through respiratory droplets–and here you’re putting saliva on a tongue depressors that you’re putting straight into someone’s mouth,” Joshi said.
