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by Stan Maddux, WSBT 22 Correspondent
A LaPorte woman allegedly forced a young cousin to smoke marijuana and cigarettes before giving the boy and one other cousin of a similar age tattoos. (Photo provided by police)
LAPORTE COUNTY, Ind. (WSBT) — A LaPorte woman allegedly forced a young cousin to smoke marijuana and cigarettes before giving the boy and one other cousin of a similar age tattoos.
That’s the picture drawn by the allegations faced by Autumn Timm.
Timm, 22, is charged in LaPorte Circuit Court with two counts of Level 5 felony battery and two counts of Class A misdemeanor tattooing a minor.
According to the charging information filed with the court, Timm, on February 17, picked up her 11-year-old cousin to stay the night at her residence, but first drove to a friend’s house in Michigan City.
The boy told investigators he was dragged by his legs to join several people in the home who formed a “smoking circle” and was only allowed to leave the circle after smoking marijuana, police said.
According to the charging information, Timm and the boy later picked up their 12-year-old cousin and returned to Timm’s residence for the sleepover.
The next morning, police said the boys went into Timm’s bedroom, where she was giving herself a tattoo.
She then offered to put tattoos on each boy, saying they would be concealed and to keep it a secret so she wouldn’t get in trouble.
Each boy told police they asked Timm to quit tattooing them because of the pain, but she refused to stop, according to the charging information.
Authorities said Timm later went back to the same residence in Michigan City with the boys, where they were forced to smoke marijuana and cigarettes.
The charging information also revealed that the mothers of both boys called the police less than two weeks later after learning about the tattoos and the other alleged activity.
Upon arrival, police said officers spotted numerous tattoos on each victim, including the images of a sun and a smiley face on their hips.
Police said drug tests of the boys by their parents turned up positive for marijuana.
During her initial court hearing on Wednesday, Timm was appointed a public defender to represent her in the case and was given an October 13 trial date.
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