Officials in Florida said they have launched an investigation into a video that appears to show a girl licking a tongue depressor at a doctor’s office before putting it back.
The girl’s face is blurred out in a video that was first shared on Snapchat before it was reportedly uploaded to Facebook.
According to News4Jax, the video was filmed inside the Jacksonville-based All About Kids & Families Medical Center, which told the news outlet that it has contacted the police for an investigation into the matter.
DISGUSTING – A social media post that shows a young girl inside in a Jacksonville medical center licking a tongue depressor and then placing it back into a jar has gone viral. https://t.co/rCRQwyzKfW
— News4JAX (@wjxt4) July 10, 2019
Girl’s Mother Speaks
Meanwhile, the mother of the girl, who was not named, told News4Jax that she recorded the video and posted it to her Snapchat account.
The mother of the girl said she started getting death threats.
“I had just been waiting a long time. I was just being silly with my kids,” she responded to the outlet when asked why she recorded it.
Her husband said he was stunned when he saw the video and realized she was his daughter. The report noted that he and the child’s mother are going through a divorce.
“My mouth hit the floor. I was completely surprised and shocked that she would even put something like that out there to be seen,” the father said. “I’m very embarrassed. That is not how I want my children raised or brought up.”
All About Kids and Families Medical Center issued a statement about the matter.
“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.”
“This type of behavior is not tolerated at All About Kids and Families Medical Center,” the statement continued. “Each year, we serve thousands of patients, and providing quality care and ensuring their safety is our top priority.”
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.
Louisiana man faces charges after licking Blue Bell ice cream, putting it back in freezer (seriously) 👇
https://t.co/kIwlsO7idh— NOLA.com (@NOLAnews) July 8, 2019
Investigators said that management asked Martin to return to the store when they became aware of the clip.
Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office Commander Lonny Cavalier told CNN that Martin, who showed officials receipts to suggest that he had purchased the ice cream after licking it, wasn’t absolved of his crimes.
“Taking into consideration that he eventually purchased the same container is one thing,” Cavalier said. “However, he puts it on Facebook to gain this notoriety and at the end of the day, it gives other people ideas that are not the best interest of public health,” he added.
Also, police in East Texas said that a teenager from San Antonio has been identified as the suspect who took a container of Blue Bell ice cream, licked it, put the lid back on, and then placed it back in the shelf at an area Walmart.
The video of the incident went viral, drawing horror from people on social media. “You foul,” says a voice off-camera in the clip.
The teen’s name was not revealed by police as she is a juvenile, CBS News reported on July 5, adding that detectives have spoken with the suspect. They won’t be releasing her name to the public because she is a minor.
