Couple Arrested for Tattooing Children

A Chattooga County mother and father are out of jail on bond Friday night after being arrested for tattooing six of their children.

The couple was arrested in their Summerville home after the biological mother of two of the children complained when the tattoo wouldn't wash off.

Investigators said a plastic pen body with a needle made of a guitar string connected to an electric motor was used to tattoo six children.

"It's a painful procedure with a crude instrument," said Chattooga County Sheriff John Everett. 

Everett said five children got a cross like tattoo on their hands, the oldest boy, a tattoo of "mom and dad' on his arm.

Everett said the boys were between the ages of "7-years-old to 17. The 7-year-old's the one that didn't' receive a tattoo. They determined he was too young."

"I'm not breaking their skin, it's right there, it's going to fade away. I's like a pen mark," said the mother PattyJo Marsh.

Sheriff Everett said investigators came after receiving a complaint from the biological mother of two of the children complaining about the tattoos.

PattyJo Marsh admitted she and her husband -- 34-year-old Jacob Edwards -- tattooed their six children after inking themselves. Investigators went to the family's Summerville home after receiving a complaint from the biological mother of two of the children.

"They wanted it. They asked me. It wasn't like I tattooed them for life! I did not do that, I would never do that," said Marsh.

Patty Marsh and her husband are charged with three counts each of illegal tattooing, second degree child cruelty and reckless conduct. The sheriff said he's conceed if the same guitar string needle was used each time.

Marsh said that "the guitar string that you use in the homemade gun we changed it out every time." Marsh said it was safe.

PattyJo Marsh said they are now preparing to go to court. "We didn't do anything wrong. I still don't think we did anything wrong."

Marsh said DFACS removed the children from the home when the couple was arrested, but has since retued them.