Corey Ward/Jacksonville SheriffA woman from Florida faces a felony charge after posting a video of her child licking medical equipment in a doctor’s office, before putting it back in a jar of sterile supplies.
Cori Ward filmed her child at the All About The Kids and Families Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida, before uploading it to her Snapchat with the caption: ‘Don’t tell me how to live my life.’
In the clip, in which the little girl proudly licks the tongue depressor, you can clearly see a sign which reads: ‘Please do not touch medical supplies! Thank you’.
The video reportedly went viral after it was uploaded to the ‘Only in Duval’ Facebook page.
After facing backlash online, the 30-year-old implied the tampered medical equipment had been thrown away after the video, and she also insisted her daughter’s behaviour had nothing to do with the Ice Cream Challenge going viral recently, which saw people go into supermarkets, licking the ice cream and putting the lid back on before returning items to the freezer.
Jacksonville Sheriff's OfficeWriting on Facebook after the incident, Ward said:
The video doesn’t show that the items were thrown away or anything else that happened. I posted this on my personal Snapchat with my 20-something friends, where someone allowed another person to video it. I didn’t post it on Facebook or YouTube as a challenge or whatever.
She went on to claim she’s been receiving death threats ever since the video rose to prominence on social media.
According to jail records, as reported by The Daily Dot, Ward was booked into the Duval County jail on July 11, facing a felony charge of tampering with a consumer product, without regard for possible death or bodily injury. The mum could face up to 30 years behind bars and a $10,000 fine if found guilty.
I spoke to Cori Ward yesterday. She apologized and said she regretted taking the video. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/duVnVOMKsw
— Beth Rousseau (@BethANJax) July 11, 2019
Speaking with News4Jax, Ward expressed her regret about the incident, stating:
I had just been waiting a long time, I was just being silly with my kids.
It’s ruined my life right now. That’s how I feel at least.
The mom of 5 is now charged with tampering with consumer products without regard for possible death/bodily injury. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/RHFmqIX0iY
— Beth Rousseau (@BethANJax) July 11, 2019
After the clip went viral, the medical centre released a statement as reported by Fox News:
We were notified yesterday that a patient violated our trust with behavior that is inconsistent with the practices and standards that we uphold and expect at our facility. Upon notification of this isolated incident, we contacted law enforcement to request a full and thorough investigation.
In addition, we immediately removed all materials and container from the specific exam room and re-sanitized our entire facility. Our internal investigation does not reveal any resulting risks or harm to patients from this action.
This type of behavior is not tolerated at All About Kids and Families Medical Center.
Each year, we serve thousands of patients, and providing quality care and ensuring their safety is our top priority.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.