'Tanorexic' Mom Charged With Burning Daughter

A New Jersey mom is in hot water for supposedly putting her 5-year-old daughter in an artificial tanning booth.

he young girl's body was burned from the stint in the salon's tanning bed, NBC New York reported. The Essex County Prosecutor's office charged the mother, 44-year-old Nutley resident Patricia Krentcil, with second-degree child endangerment.

If found guilty, Krentcil could wind up behind bars where the sun doesn't shine.

A New Jersey mom denies that her 5-year-old daughter's sunburn was caused by a trip to a tanning salon.

Patricia Krentcil told NBC that she brought her child along to the salon, but the girl was never exposed to UV rays in the booth.

"I tan, she doesn't tan," Krentcil said on NBC. "I'm in the booth, she's in the room. That's all there is to it."

The girl's father Rich Krentcil said his daughter was sunburned from playing outside on a hot day.

Police arrested her on Tuesday after school officials reported that the kindergarten girl had a severe sunburn.

Krentcil's father got temporary custody of the girl, according to ABC.

State law prohibits anyone younger than 14 from entering the booths. 

The owner of the tanning salon was not charged, because police believe that Krentcil sneaked her child into the booth without the salon's knowledge, according to WABC.