10-Year-Old Gets Tattoo: Jerry Garrison's Grandson In State Custody After Boy's Leg Gets Inked

A Florida man lost his grandson to state custody after he allowed the 10-year-old boy to get his initials tattooed on his leg.

Jerry Garrison told NBC News that everyone in the family has their initials permanently etched on their bodies in ink. He didn't see a problem with allowing the unidentified boy to do the same.

When representatives from the state Department of Children and Families came to Garrison's Jacksonville home this week -- on other allegations -- they noticed the tattoo on the boy's right leg. The boy was taken into custody pending an investigation.

"I didn't see why a tattoo was such a big issue to begin with, and I didn't see where none of this was right," he told the station through tears. "My little son called me and said, dad, I'm so scared, I want to come home so bad. When you have your youngin' call and tell you he's scared, I want to go put my arms around him and say, 'Son, it's all right, it's really all right.' But no, I can't."

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A spokesman for the state agency said it wasn't just the tattoo that resulted in the boy leaving Garrison's home, but "other allegations" that weren't elaborated on, WSMV reported.

A picture released by Garrison to MSNBC shows the heavily tattooed man watching his smiling grandson get the tattoo.

In Florida, children under 16 cannot get a tattoo unless it's for medical or dental reasons. It's unclear at what facility the boy got inked.

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