Pataskala, Ohio (WLTX) -- Two people have been charged for corrupting or endangering a child after police say the videotaped a toddler as they forcibly made it smoke marijuana.
Police received the video of the toddler on Monday.
[Warning the Video is Disturbing, Parental Discretion Advised]
According to federal court records, the videotape shows 18-year-old Melvin Blevins of Pataskala, holding a marijuana pipe to the mouth of the child. The child, who turned two this month, was not identified.
Earlier this month, 16-year-old Angel Dailey pleaded not guilty to charges of corrupting and endangering the child.
Police said Dailey was holding the toddler, who can be seen on the tape squirming to avoid the pipe. Police learned of the tape after a Columbus, Ohio pawn shop dealer found it in a camcorder.
A voice in the video says, "It is some good stuff," as a hand gives the choking toddler water.
In March, Blevins was indicted in a drug bust that police said included more than $3 million in cash and more than a ton of marijuana.
Pataskala Ohio Police Chief Chris Forshey says, "They were going through the hard drive on the camera, and came across the video images."
Police say the video shows an unidentified woman holding the toddler as an off camera man gives the toddler the pot pipe. The toddler inhales and then chokes on the pot, according to the video. After that, the video shows a man mimicking the toddler's coughing.
Forshey says "You can tell that she's inhaling some of it, and you can tell that she doesn't want to. So it's a pretty disgusting video."
4/15/2008 7:49:06 PM
