WINSTON-SALEM, NC (WGHP/CNN) – The mother of three children seen smoking what appears to be marijuana in video circulating on social media says she trusted their babysitters and never imagined something like this could happen.
Police say they received numerous reports about a Facebook video that shows young children, ages 18 months, 2 years and 3 years, being given what appears to be marijuana by two women.
The women, identified as 21-year-old Michaela Pearson and 18-year-old Candice Little, were arrested Tuesday and charged with felony child abuse and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Officials believe Pearson and Little caused and encouraged the children to smoke marijuana.
The video has shocked the community, including the children's mother.
The mother, who didn't want to share her name or face because she says she's been getting death threats, says she trusted Person and Little to watch her children.
When she first saw the video, she says she asked the women why they allegedly did this.
"She didn't have no answer for me. And in a way, OK, yeah, it might be my fault because I did just leave my kids in there going back and forth, but still, it's a common-sense thing," the mother said.
She says one of the babysitters is her friend, and the woman has apologized for what allegedly happened.
The children’s godmother, who also didn’t want to be identified, says she, too, could not believe what the women allegedly forced the three kids to do.
"So it's not like, 'Oh my God, this has happened before.' No, who would have thought? That's common sense. I wouldn't know nobody that would just pass somebody a blunt and then be like, 'Hey, you want to smoke this?'" she said.
The godmother says the children's mother is a good mother who would never intentionally put her children in an unsafe situation.
The mother says she loves her kids more than anything and is glad they're OK.
"Everybody that knows me knows I love my kids to death and I would never let anything happen to them," she said.
The children were treated at a local hospital and are now back home with their mother. The mother says they didn't test positive for marijuana.
Pearson and Little are being held on $150,000 secured bonds.
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