Parents Face Charges for Tattooing Six of Their Young Children

Patty Jo Marsh and her husband, Jacob Bartels, are facing child cruelty charges for tattooing six of the seven children that live in their home. The youngest child tattooed was 10 years old. The Georgia parents don't see anything wrong with placing permanent marks on the children, particularly because they say they barely broke the skin and changed needles with each marking.

"We didn't even break the skin barely," said Marsh, "they are very tiny, just through a few layers, on the top. They will fade away, that's how minuscule this is."

According to police reports, the youngest member in the household is 7 years old, but the parents decided against tattooing that child. The couple's 17-year-old has a very large tattoo on his arm, which Marsh says her husband created with a homemade tattoo gun that uses a guitar string as a needle. The mom admits she tested the gun on herself first to make sure that it would not harm their children.

State laws in Georgia prohibit the tattooing of minors. Marsh and her husband claim they were not aware of such laws. The mother does contend, though, that the children begged for the tattoos, and as the children's parent, she should have a right to do what she wants, "Shouldn't I have say so over what goes on in my child's life?" asked Marsh. "I have custody of my child, I'm not going to hurt my child."

Marsh and Bartels were arrested when the mother of another child discovered a tattoo on the couple's daughter's hand and contacted police. The couple faces multiple charges, including child endangerment and cruelty to children. The Georgia Department of Family and Children's Services has stepped in to further investigate the matter. The seven children were removed from the home temporarily, but Marsh says her children were released back to her under a parent plan until the case heads to court.

A court date has not been set for Marsh or Bartels.