A Virginia teen mom was arrested after a disturbing photograph she took of her crying 14-month-old son hanging from a hook by his shirt was posted to Facebook.
Alexis Breeden, 18, turned herself into the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 30 after the disgusting image went viral and a felony warrant was issued for her arrest, reports CBS 6 News.
“I regret taking the picture, even putting him up there… I really do,” she said, adding that she loves her son to death, and is willing to do everything in her power to keep him healthy.
“All it was, was to be a joke. He was laughing…put it in his baby book,” she told CBS 6.
The photo shows the 14-month-old hanging from a hook in the wall by his shirt. The shirt is pulled up around his neck. The original image shows that the boy has what appears to be a distressed facial expression. Authorities later determined the photo was taken in early September.
The boy’s father, 18-year-old Anthony Welch, who does not live with the boy or Breeden, posted the photo on Facebook with the caption, “Everybody think that alexis is a good mom this is what she sent me. tell me wat the fuk yall think (sic).”
After multiple people saw the picture and alerted the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office, deputies went to Breeden’s home to investigate.
She contacted the outlet in a bid to clarify things after she read messages on social media slamming her and her parenting.
“I didn’t do anything and I never will do anything to hurt my son. My son was not hurt at all,” she said.
Breeden is now facing child abuse charges. She is currently free on $2,500 bail.
Sgt. James Konicki of the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office told CBS6 that an investigation discovered that the child was hanging from a plant hook and not a nail.
“But the child was absolutely fine,” he added, also revealing that the father was not involved in the alleged abuse.
She is allowed supervised contact with her son now, and she is confident that a judge will let her keep him when they hear her story.
“That would probably be the worst thing you could ever do is take a child from its mother,” she said, adding that she is worried because she knows the picture sparked a storm.
“I will be so nervous. I will be shaking every night because I mean it does, it looks like a horrible picture, but it’s not,” Breeden said.
Watch the video report below for more details:
Sources: Taphaps, CBS 6 News
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