NJ Mom Charged in Tanning Salon Incident

Nutley police have reported that Patricia Krentcil, 44, of Nutley was charged with child endangerment after allegedly letting her 5 year-old daughter come into a tanning booth with her.

Krentcil's daughter told her school nurse she got a sunburn from tanning with her mother, prompting the school to call child services.

Krentcil maintains she and her daughter do visit the salon together, but the 5 year-old never enters a tanning booth. Krentcil said her daughter got a sunburn from helping in the garden on a nice weekend.

"The pediatrician said that she's got a little sunburn, but it was that only weekend we were out doing the gardening," Krentcil told ABC News.

Police allege Krentcil took her daughter unto the booth without tanning salon employees knowing.

According to The Star Ledger, Krentcil was taken to Camden County Jail on April 24, where she had an outstanding charge, and posted $25,000 bail. The incident allegedly occurred one week before the arrest.

As per NJ state law, children under the age of 14 are not permitted in any type of tanning booth. The name of the Nutley tanning salon has not been released, and has not been charged.

This story originally appeared on the Belleville-Nutley Patch.