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Rachel Stieringer

February 22, 2012 by · Comments Off on Rachel Stieringer 

Rachel Stieringer, Keystone Heights, Florida (The Weekly Vice) – Rachel Stieringer, a 19-year-old Florida woman who’s photo of her baby with a bong ignited a firestorm of outrage several weeks ago, has now been arrested.

According to the Florida State Attorney’s Office, Florida DCF launched an investigation after Stieringer allegedly posted a photograph on her Facebook page which depicts her 11-month-old son holding a bong up to his mouth.

The photograph was quickly picked up by Florida media before it eventually spread across the country and even to other countries.

The child’s mother, Rachel Stieringer tried to counter the outrage by posting a message on her Facebook page that stated “If u look at the picture, u can see that there is no bowl in the TABACCO (sic) pipe. And i took a pic to show one (expletive) person and it was a mistake. I would never let him get high.

She went on to state “Do you realize how serious this is? I can go to jail, and he can be taken away from me. Why would you do something so (expletive) stupid? I’m so nice to everyone. Why would you do this to me?”

Strieringer reportedly admitted to detectives that she kept the bong in her bedroom. When the child grabbed the bong and put it up to his mouth, she allegedly snapped a photo because she “thought it was funny,” according to the detective.

Prosecutors say charges of child abuse would not apply in this case because a drug test given to the child came back negative. Stieringer, however, tested positive for traces of marijuana.

Stieringer was booked into the Clay County Jail on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Her mother, Sharalyn Harris says her daughter is now attending parenting classes and drug counseling.

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