Share

Mom denies taking daughter into tanning booth

A New Jersey mom with a passion for tanning is facing a child endangerment charge for allowing her then five-year-old daughter into a tanning booth.

Authorities say Patricia Krentcil's daughter, now six, turned up at her elementary school in Nutley, New Jersey, with sunburn, prompting a school nurse to contact police.

The extremely tan Krentcil, 44, appeared in a Newark courtroom where she pleaded not guilty to a charge of child endangerment.

New Jersey is among several states that have adopted regulations prohibiting anyone age 14 or under from using ultraviolet devices because of the risk of skin cancer.

Krentcil not seen in tanning booth

Krentcil's chocolate-brown hue testifies to countless hours spent under the intense ultraviolet light of a tanning bed or out in the sun soaking up rays.

But she denied bringing her fair-skinned daughter into the tanning booth of a salon that she frequents.

"I would not permit it," she told CBS TV in New York.

The owner of City Tropics Tanning said his staff did not see Krentcil get into the stand-up booth with her daughter when she came in for an tanning session.

"Of course not," said the owner, who would only give his first name of Anthony.

Child not allowed in tanning room

"My workers wouldn't let a child go into a tanning room. She was outside with her father," he said. "If she went into the tanning room I think she would have disintegrated. She's a little girl."

The owner said police never came in to speak with his workers about the incident.

Nutley police referred questions about the case to the Essex County prosecutor's office, where spokeswoman Katherine Carter said the investigation was continuing.

Krentcil did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Thomas Zambito, Reuters Health, May 2012) 

Read more:

A history of tanning

Indoor tanning maybe addictive

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE