Story Archive

Tats for Tots

After Malik Napier, 12, of Acworth, Ga., was hit by a car and killed, his brother, Gaquan, 10, made a request. “My son came to me and said, ‘Mom, I want to get a tattoo with Malik on it, rest in peace’,” said his mother, Chuntera. “It made me feel good to know that he wanted his brother on him.” So, Chuntera took Gaquan to get a tattoo with his brother’s name and basketball jersey number. But Georgia law prohibits tattoos on anyone under 18, and when school authorities spotted the artwork, they called the police and Chuntera was arrested. Police are also trying to locate the artist who gave Gaquan the tattoo, but say Chuntera is refusing to cooperate. “What do I say to a child who wants to remember his brother?” she says. “It’s not like he was asking me, ‘Can I get Sponge Bob?’” But Acworth Chief of Police Michael Wilkie disagrees. “The tragedy of this is that the child’s tattoos are some sort of memorial to a sibling who was lost in a car accident a few years ago,” he said. “It may be that professional or religious counseling for their/her grief would be more helpful than anything.” (MS/ABC) ...And here we thought “the tragedy” was the kid being killed by a car.