If you have e-mail, you've seen the photo.
A little girl and her toy duckie have been duct taped to a wall in what's become one of the most popular "redneck discipline" forwards to make its way around the interwebs.
So why did that one get a big guffaw but Corde Honea is going to jail for doing pretty much the same thing?
Honea duct taped his girlfriend's toddler to the wall, and he was charged with "intentional child abuse" for the act.
His attorney argued it was a juvenile act by the 19-year-old Honea who never meant "to traumatize the child or hurt the child," says the Journal Star.
Like the photo above, the duct tape was affixed to the child's clothing rather than the bare skin. The 22-month-old was not harmed in any other way. And it was meant as a joke.
So why wasn't it funny?
Maybe the better question is why is the photo above making so many people laugh? It always looked horrifying to me.
The child doesn't look comfortable, and as much as we joke that duct tape "fixes everything," have you ever used it to affix something to the wall … only to have it fall down 5 minutes later? All I think when I see this photo is "that kid is hanging by a thread."
We would be horrified if a child were tied, handcuffed, or otherwise latched onto a surface from which they couldn't move. They're kids — not criminals.
Honea is facing 36 to 60 months in jail for the abuse (plus additional time for some weapons charges) while the baby's mom, Jayla Hamm, still has to face the court for her involvement in the incident. She's expected to be given a year in prison at sentencing time.
Does their case make you rethink your initial reactions to the photo?
Image via Fugly
