Mom, 18, Arrested For Photo Of Toddler On Hook

OCTOBER 31--An 18-year-old mother has been charged with child abuse after a photo surfaced showing her crying toddler hanging by his shirt from a hook inside a Virginia residence.

Alexis Breeden was arrested yesterday on the felony charge after the disturbing image (seen at right) came to the attention of the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.

The photo of Breeden’s 14-month-old son, which was apparently snapped last month, shows the child dangling from a planter hook above a door frame. The boy’s pajama top is pulled up around his neck.

The photo was posted to Facebook in retaliation by the child’s father, Anthony Welch, following an argument with Breeden. “Everybody think that alexis is a good mom this is what she sent me,” Welch, 18, wrote in a caption. “tell me wat the fuk yall think.”

Welch, who does not live with Breeden and the child, has not been charged in connection with the image of the boy (who was not injured during the stunt).

Breeden, seen below, did not adopt a contrite tone in a Facebook post about the image. Noting that police had been to her home to check on the child, she wrote, “They think this was immature and dumb of me but saw I was playing and no one needs to know everything going on because some of you aren’t parents and no one knows the full story.”

The young mother--who yesterday was released from jail on $2500 bond--added, “Mind your own fucking business.” (2 pages)