A New Jersey woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a child endangerment charge, denying she allowed her 6-year-old daughter to tan at a salon.
Patricia Krentcil, 44, of Nutley, appeared in Superior Court in Newark, WCBS-TV, New York, reported.
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Patricia Krentcil |
"My client is 150 percent innocent," John D. Caruso, Krentcil's attorney, said. "That child was never in that tanning booth."
Krentcil did not speak during her brief court appearance except to say, "Thank you, your honor. Have a nice day."
Krentcil has said she has brought her daughter Anna to a tanning salon but would not let her daughter go into a tanning booth with her.
"It didn't happen," Krentcil said. "She's 6 years old. Yes, she does go tanning with mommy but not in the booth."
Prosecutors said Krentcil took her daughter to a tanning salon near her home and brought her into a tanning bed, causing slight sunburn.
When a school nurse asked how she got the sunburn, WCBS reported, Anna replied, "I go tanning with mommy."
Krentcil was then arrested.
State law prohibits children under the age of 14 from using tanning salons.
Staff members at the tanning salon told police said they did not see the girl in the booth, The (Newark) Star-Ledger reported Wednesday.
Krentcil said her daughter got the sunburn playing in the back yard.
"Look at my daughter's picture. She's as pale as a ghost, she has red hair," Krentcil said outside court Wednesday. "I'm a great mother, I'm a wonderful mother. I would die right now for her."
Krentcil's next court appearance is scheduled for June 4. (UPI)
<한글 기사>
'엄마 맞아?' 6살 딸 태닝기계에 넣어 화상 입혀
미국 뉴저지의 한 여성이 딸을 인공적으로 살을 태우는 태닝 기계에 데리고 들어갔다가 화상을 입혀 법정에 섰다.
어머니인 패트리시아 크렌실(44)은 6살 난 딸 안나를 태닝 부스에 데리고 들어갔다는 검사의 주장을 부정하며 “그런 일은 일어나지 않았습니다. 딸아이는 6살입니다. 엄마를 따라 태닝하러 가긴 했지만 부스에 들어가진 않았습니다.”라고 말했다.
이 사건은 안나가 재학중인 학교의 간호사가 몸에 입은 화상을 발견하고 이유를 뭍자 “엄마랑 태닝하러 가서요”라고 답하자 크렌실을 신고해 시작됐다.
크렌실은 딸 안나의 화상은 뒷마당에서 놀다가 입게 된 것이라고 말했다.
뉴저지에서는 14살이하 아동의 태닝샵 이용을 금지하고 있다.
