Woman Forces Toddler to Smoke, Posts on MySpace, Gets Arrested
File this under bad parents -- a woman in Virginia Beach, Virginia has been jailed for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, thanks to a rather tasteless video she posted on MySpace.Sandra Venery (seen in her mug-shot glory to the right) posted a clip in which she encourages her two-year-old daughter to smoke a cigarette. The video was enough to put Venery behind bars. But despite it being illegal for anyone under 18 to smoke in Virginia, it wasn't the smoking that did it. Rather, it was Venery's often-profane encouragement of her daughter that landed her behind bars. (The video has since been removed from MySpace, so don't bother looking.)
From WAVY TV 10
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 17)
dan @ Dec 20th 2007 8:06AM
Oh yeah, BTW, The headline on this is TOTALLY Misleading, the 2 year old was filmed with a cigarette and light er in hand, NOT smoking it!!!! Hello people wake up and stop believing all that "spin" put on things, just for web traffic....
thinksdanisdumb @ Dec 20th 2007 2:22PM
to dan: it says "encourages her two-year-old daughter to smoke a cigarette". encouraging a child to smoke is a sign of a mentally ill person who doesn't know right or wrong and should not be trusted with kids. the way you are sticking up for this person only says maybe you shouldn't be around kids either.
thinksdanisdumb @ Dec 20th 2007 2:39PM
to dan: it says "encourages her two-year-old daughter to smoke a
cigarette". encouraging a child to smoke is a sign of a mentally ill
person who doesn't know right or wrong and should not be trusted with
kids. the way you are sticking up for this person only says maybe you
shouldn't be around kids either.
Carol @ Dec 20th 2007 2:52PM
Sometimes, you just have to wonder how someone could be SO stupid.....................
CLEVE @ Dec 20th 2007 3:20PM
what a great example of how screwed up the internet can be! NO i am not speakiing of Sandra Venery, i am talking about the idiot author of this blog - and all of you who responded to this inaccurate "news" report.
facts are: the child NEVER smoked. the cigarette was not lit. the only profanity on the video was part of a re-creation of the Will Ferrel "pay the rent, b****" video, which i personally thought was hilarious. Sandra Venery posted the video on her MySpace,and of course now wishes she hadn't. but before all you high and mighty perfect individuals who have never done anythng dumb on your computer or otherwise (you know, that picture of your kid holding an open beer bottle.... that's ILLEGAL you know) make any other comments... how would you like to go to jail for your own son or daughter holding an unlit ciggarette in their mouth??? appropriate?
the judge who bonded her out on her signature alone didn't think so... but of course all you guys know better. next time maybe you guys should find out if what was written was true... cause the REAL asshole here is the author, mr. tim stevens. get it right, tim, or stfu.
lorilynn @ Dec 20th 2007 5:20PM
Dan-You are as stupid as your "friend". Any person who has a toddler trying to smoke and then has enough time on her hands to put it on Youtube, has way too much time on her hands, when in fact she should be taking care of her child! Does she smoke herself? Yes, I am sure of it. Does she smoke around her child? I would stake my life on it. It's illegal in some states to smoke in the car with a child. Do you know why? Because it is extremely harmful! Believe me, I am not some person who doesn't know what she is talking about. I smoked for more than 25 years, and I am only 37. But I quit cold turkey 18 months ago. Know why? Because I have a child that I would like to be here for rather than have him watch me die the way I did my dad from lung cancer. You can say what you want about it being blown out of porportion, but the fact remains, she did it, she is a moron, and you can say what you want about her being a wonderful mother, and you may be right according to the mothers you may have grown up with or around, but trust me Dan, she is by no means a good mother, and from the looks of her mug shot, she looks like she dabbles in a couple of other things too.
Thomasina Daniele @ Dec 20th 2007 10:24PM
I wonder why anyone would find the vision of a two year old child with a deadly cigg, (lit or not) , in her mouthh any form of entertainment. The world seems to be much more leaneynt with things in this category, and as anyone can see, the world doesn't seem to be doing so well. Between the violence in schools, malls, and just about everywhere you look, it's a shame parents aren't sheltering their children from all things harmful and negative rather then encouraging or insuating such habits for there twisted sense of humor.
Cheryl @ Dec 21st 2007 6:21AM
Why would a mom do this? Did you think it was 'cute', or 'funny'? Whats in the next episode.. showing her how to make her own mixed drink? Or maybe how to roll a joint? Or better yet, how to prepare your own needle? Not cute.. not funny. SICK!!!
MaOde3 @ Dec 21st 2007 6:21AM
I laugh when I read all of the self righteous comments on here. "Her kids should be permanently taken from her".....You sorry bunch of self righteous hypocritical idiots. I bet it makes you lonely retards feel real powerful to get on here and pound away at a woman who made a stupid descision. Get lives......better yet..get hearts.
Dayna @ Dec 21st 2007 6:24AM
She's so pretty...
tongala2 @ Dec 21st 2007 6:32AM
I personally think that to give a child a cigarette long enough to tape and put it in on my space says a 'lot' about the mother. I have a 4-year-old and would never even think to do such a thing and I smoke. What in the world could justify a parent (mother at that) doing that to a child. To me the child has probably been abused as well or maybe drinking. I do not think it is fair to subject a child to this. After all the child did not ask to come here and the fact that someone actually agreed really should let us know what this world has come to. There is not respect or care, even for the small child anymore. How sad.
tongala @ Dec 21st 2007 6:32AM
It is sad.
stacy @ Dec 21st 2007 6:33AM
HEY DAN WHY DONT YOU AND THAT SKANKY FILTHY HO BAG LOCK YOURSELVES IN YOUR TRAILOR AND OVERDOSE ON WHATEVER THE DRUG OF THE DAY IS. MERRY CHRISTMAS
tongala2 @ Dec 21st 2007 6:40AM
To Cleve:
Although the child did not smoke the cigarette does that mean it was appropriate for her to have it and better yet be taped and put on Myspace. Get real. Let's think about this for a minute. If the toddler was 'just holding a gun and bullets' but did not actually smoke, would you be making the same comments.
And, yes, I can think of things that 'I' have done that I would rather regret. But never have I done anything to my children. I mean c'mon how can you justify giving a toddler a cigareet AND A LIGHTER. That is even worse. No matter what the mother was trying to covey, it appeared to be more important than her daughter and for that she should be in trouble.
Even if the judge that just signed for her to get out of child, it hopefully taught her a lesson that she obviously needs -- THINK FIRST, ACT LATER. Maybe this will prevent her for doing anything else so silly.
How can one be mad at the comments someone post on this blog is beyond me. After all, we did not give our child a cigarette and lighter, or make her smoke--Sandy did. You are point your fingers and anger at the wrong people. We all konw the media can distort things. And, we also know that it had to be something there for the authorities to arrest her--and personally, I think they did the right thing in the best interest of the child. Forget Sandy. Obviously, she only thought about her self or getting hilarious laughs as you alluded to in your response.
She should have been concerned about her child and just left her out of it. How can u not see that is beyond thought. Maybe you both need help.
tongala2 @ Dec 21st 2007 6:42AM
To Cleve:
Although the child did not smoke the cigarette does that mean it was appropriate for her to have it and better yet be taped and put on Myspace. Get real. Let's think about this for a minute. If the toddler was 'just holding a gun and bullets' but did not actually 'shoot it, would you be making the same comments.
And, yes, I can think of things that 'I' have done that I would rather regret. But never have I done anything to my children. I mean c'mon how can you justify giving a toddler a cigareet AND A LIGHTER. That is even worse. No matter what the mother was trying to covey, it appeared to be more important than her daughter and for that she should be in trouble.
Even if the judge that just signed for her to get out of child, it hopefully taught her a lesson that she obviously needs -- THINK FIRST, ACT LATER. Maybe this will prevent her for doing anything else so silly.
How can one be mad at the comments someone post on this blog is beyond me. After all, we did not give our child a cigarette and lighter, or make her smoke--Sandy did. You are point your fingers and anger at the wrong people. We all konw the media can distort things. And, we also know that it had to be something there for the authorities to arrest her--and personally, I think they did the right thing in the best interest of the child. Forget Sandy. Obviously, she only thought about her self or getting hilarious laughs as you alluded to in your response.
She should have been concerned about her child and just left her out of it. How can u not see that is beyond thought. Maybe you both need help.
Erma @ Dec 21st 2007 6:43AM
I don't get it...maybe people should apply for a license to have kids. This one obviously doesn't deserve them!
Jack @ Dec 21st 2007 6:45AM
In some states it is now illegal to smoke (tobacco) in the car with your child, why would she think that this would be okay??
Frankly although my kids have occasionally heard an expletive or two when they were in the back seat of the car and I forgot, it is never a good idea for parents to use profanity in speaking to their young children.
She screwed up bigtime and then posted it in a public venue.
Better she should be found out now than found out when her daughter dies of a drug overdose
Hopefully both child and mother will get the help they need.
Linda @ Dec 21st 2007 6:50AM
STUPID IS AND STUPID DOES, AND THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE AS BEING A STUPID ARSE MOTHER. HOPE SHE NEVER GETS CUSTODY OF HER DAUGHTER EVER AGAIN FOR THAT STUPID STUNT OF HERS. POOR KID. I CANNOT IMAGINE ANY MOM FORCING THEIR TWO YEAR OLD TO SMOKE A CIGARETTE!! WTF IS THAT I ASK? BRAIN DAMAGE ON THE MOMS BEHALF OBVIOUSLY. WHAT A LOSER OF A MOM!
Gabby @ Dec 21st 2007 6:55AM
Wow, this is just a bad parent. But I'm not sure if all videos can be evidence. Many are edited, but may look real. So, I guess people should be more careful with what they put up.
Terrible story. =[
Trish @ Dec 21st 2007 6:58AM
How sad someone like this is able to reproduce. There are so many good people who can't have kids and who'd give little ones a good life.
I hope she feels as badly about this as the act itself. She's an idiot.