Florida Mom Arrested After Filming Daughter Licking Tongue Depressor at Medical Clinic

A doctor's lab coat. Darko Stojanovic/Pixabay

A viral video of a girl licking a tongue depressor at a medical clinic landed her mother in jail, it was reported.

Cori Ward, 30, taken to the Duval County jail about 11 a.m. July 11 on felony tampering charges, News4Jax reported.

The report said that she recorded a video of her daughter licking the item and putting it back amid viral videos of people licking ice cream and placing the products back on the shelf.

The All About Kids & Families Medical Center clinic in Jacksonville called the police to investigate after the video went viral.

Ward told the station that she shot the video and posted it on Snapchat.

“I had just been waiting a long time,” said Ward. “I was just being silly with my kids.”

“It’s ruined my life right now. That’s how I feel at least,” she added.

The dentist’s office said the items in the room were removed and resanitized.

“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,” the office said.

“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,” reads a statement, reported Fox News. “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.”

“I mean honestly, I wasn’t thinking,” Ward told Action News Jax while adding that video doesn’t tell the entire story. She claimed to have disposed of the depressor and “removed the items that were even surrounding it.”

Ward claimed that she knew nothing about the viral ice cream videos. She said, “I know what it’s like to, you know, have to worry about your kids health and stuff. I would never put somebody else’s kid at risk.”

“It’s horrible. I mean, I’m scared for my kids, especially, my oldest that’s out and on her own since they posted her photo,” she said.

Dr. Sunil Joshi told the station that the actions seen in viral videos could have serious health consequences.

“This is how viral infection spreads, right, through respiratory droplets–and here you’re putting saliva on a tongue depressors that you’re putting straight into someone’s mouth,” Joshi said.

Other Incidents

A Louisiana man was arrested after licking a tub of Blue Bell ice cream before putting the container back, apparently in a copycat attempt of a similar viral video.

The video shows the man, identified in news reports as Lenise Martin III, licking the ice cream at a supermarket in Louisiana. Two children were reportedly nearby.

Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested Martin on July 6, reported WAFB.