The residue of duct tape on a chair may be the final piece of an open-and-shut case. Image: Flickr / striatic / CC-BY
For police, it was one of the easiest investigations they could have had. A mom was arrested for duct taping her child to a chair. The PA mother showed cops the photo of her duct-taped child and was immediately arrested.
Mom arrested for duct taping child
Last week, “urban news” site Media Takeout posted a photo of a mother posing next to a child that had been duct-taped to a chair. The website blurred out the faces in the photo because they were not certain if the photo was a joke or actual abuse. The mother, apparently, found her own picture on the website. The PA mother showed the cops the photo of her and her duct-taped child as “proof” that Media Takeout was attempting to steal her identity. Police arrested the 21-year-old woman for child endangerment instead.
Investigation into mother who duct-taped child
When Caira Ferguson went to police with the photos of her duct-taped child, she was making a complaint about identity theft. The police took the photos and immediately opened an investigation. During a search of Ferguson’s home, the police found the chair in the photo, which still had duct tape on it. Police also confirmed that Ferguson has a daughter, who was 18 months old when the photo in question was taken about six months ago. Police booked Ferguson on charges of child endangerment, and Child Protective Services took her daughter into custody. When asked by media, Ferguson denied the allegations. Police maintain that Ferguson admitted to the crime while being questioned.
Punishments for PA mother who shows cops photo of duct-taped child
If Caira Ferguson is found guilty of the crime police say she admitted to, she could be facing time in jail. In Pennsylvania, child endangerment can be anything from a first degree misdemeanor to a third degree felony. Prison time can be up to seven years, sometimes more depending on the situation. CPS can also keep Ferguson’s daughter in protective custody for an undetermined amount of time. In a similar case in Nebraska, the 17-year-old mother received 10 days in jail, and her boyfriend received five years.
Stories like this that only get minor coverage make me angry. A child being abused deserves more coveage and outrage than that Michael Vick story that won't go away. I guarantee that no one besides me is angry about this. PETA isn't going to protest about this. It is sad that a dead pitbull gets more of an outcry from the public than an abused child. I am sure this will go away a quickly as it appeared. People want animal abusers to suffer ten times more than human abusers. This story needs to be put on the front page.