A teen mom seen holding her infant son after he is offered a vape in a viral video will not face charges, according to police in New South Wales. The mom, 16-year-old Annie Donovan, claims the whole thing was a joke and that no one never intended to hurt her baby, Lebron. Donovan's aunt allegedly put the vape in the infant's mouth as a crowd watched and laughed.
Authorities visited a Kempsey, New South Wales, home for a welfare check on February 28 after the video began circling on social media, according to Media Entertainment Arts Worldwide. Investigators found nothing remarkable during the visit and reportedly do not plan to press charges. This has left the public outraged and wondering how an adult giving a baby a vape can be overlooked.
The video is shocking, to say the least.
In the video, Lebron is sitting on his mother's lap wearing only a diaper. An adult, believed to be the baby's aunt, puts the vape in his mouth and asks him if he wants to try it. The baby inhales and coughs as the vape comes out of his mouth and nose.
The adults laugh like it is just a cute baby trick. But most people don't agree with the little game and think it's cruel.
After widespread outrage over the video, police investigated the home.
MEAWW reported that New South Wales police visited the Donovans' home to check on the baby. After touring the home and speaking with the family, the police deemed the environment safe and did not think further action was necessary.
"Police have now spoken with the child's family and – following advice provided by with medical professionals and other governmental agencies – no further police action will be taken," the department noted in a statement.
The mother claims to be sorry.
According to the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph spoke with Donovan, who said, "It was just a silly joke, I put the vape up near him, and I never thought he would grab it, I thought he'd push it away."
She explained that she understood what she did was wrong but said the outrage from others was too much. Her mother, Kristy, claims that the family had to move because of what happened.
But not all of her family agrees with Donovan and her mother. Lebron's aunt, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke with Seven News. "It's honestly putrid, I will not say that it's not because it is and I would remove my nephew from that situation," she said.
Police may think it's OK, but almost everyone else evidently disagrees.
Type in #babyvaping on social media, and you will be bombarded with commentary about the baby, his mother, the police, and the entire situation. People are not happy. Parents don't understand how any other parent in their right mind would put their child at risk this way.
After initially apologizing, Donovan went on a since-deleted Facebook rant in which she reportedly used foul language and told other parents to mind their own business. Plenty of TikTokers saw the post and have a lot to say.
Donovan seems to need a lesson on the dangers of vaping.
The more we learn, the more we understand the dangers of vaping. This is particularly true for children. Many critics think Donovan was putting her baby in unnecessary danger for a joke. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children vaping is not a laughing matter.
Most vapes, or e-cigarettes, contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance in tobacco products. Nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain, hurting areas that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. In addition to the harmful effects of nicotine, inhaling the harsh chemicals in vapes can cause severe lung conditions and diseases, according to the CDC. This can include deadly cancers. Presumably, little is known about the possible effects in younger children because of a lack of data, but it can be surmised that they may be even more significant for young children.
Helping kids stay away from nicotine can be pretty simple.
"Set a good example by being tobacco-free and ensure that your kid is not exposed to the secondhand emissions from any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes," the CDC suggests.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
