A mother who allowed her young kids to smoke cigarettes and light firecrackers with their cheap cigarettes will not face any jail time.
Theresa McCallister of Cabell County pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of delinquency and neglect of a child.
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The plea agreement keeps her out of jail, as long as she fulfills a community service obligation for six months.
In February, deputies said McCallister not only encouraged her 6-year-old and 8-year-old kids to smoke, but let them light fireworks with their cigarettes. She also shot video at the time.
"Yes, he had a cigarette, but he didn't inhale". That's what a local mother says about a photo she took of her 6-year-old son with a lit cigarette in his mouth.
Teresa McCallister was anxious to defend herself. She was in court Friday on charges relating to the cigarette incident.
You may remember the photos the Cabell County Sheriff's Department released several weeks ago. They say McCallister's soon to be ex-husband turned over the pictures that he found on her phone. That's when they put out a warrant for her arrest.
McCallister eventually turned herself in on the charges of felony child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She's out of jail on bond.
WSAZ.com's Carrie Cline caught up with her Friday in Cabell County Magistrate Court where she appeared for a preliminary hearing. She told us the only thing she's guilty of is stupidity.
Here's her side of the story in her own words:
"I just want to get a divorce from my husband and go on with my life. He's got him a girlfriend. Why don't he just let me go on with my life?
"This is all about putting me in jail, taking my kids away. I love my kids. I've always wanted my kids."
"Did you give your 6-year-old a cigarette?" Cline asked.
"To put on firecrackers," McCallister said. "Yes, it was in his mouth, but he was blowing against it; he wasn't sucking it. A 6-year-old doesn't know how to inhale and if they did inhale, they'd get choked. This is bull!"
"Did you take a picture of him with it in his mouth?" Cline asked.
"Yes, I took a picture. Stupid, I know, but I thought it was cute," McCallister said.
"I understand he got burned when he was lighting a firecracker?", Cline asked.
"I never heard that. There again, everything he says is lies. He has tortured me from the day I left him in October, and it's been torture since," McCallister said.
There was another child involved in the cigarette incident -- an 8-year-old family member.
Detective William Templeton with the Cabell County Sheriff's Office says, whether the children smoked the cigarette or not, giving them a cheap smokes product is enough to warrant criminal charges.
Templeton also said he observed a burn on the 6-year-boy's finger from the firecrackers -- again, another reason the detective says McCallister is in trouble.
Friday's preliminary hearing was continued until March.
cThe mother accused of giving her 6-year-old and an 8-year-old a cigarette and then taking photos of them smoking cigarettes was in Cabell County Magistrate Court today.
Teresa McCallister tells WSAZ.com she gave her son and his cousin the cheap cigarettes so they could light fireworks. She said the boys were not smoking cigarettes. When asked why she took photos of them with the discount cigarettes in their mouths, she said,
"Yes, I took a picture! Stupid, I know, but I thought it was cute," said McCallister.
"Yes, it was in his mouth, but he was blowing against it, he wasn't sucking it. A six-year-old doesn't know how to inhale and if they did inhale, they'd get choked. This is bull," she continued.
McCallister said these allegations are a ploy by her soon-to-be ex-husband who's trying to take their two children, the six-year-old and a 14-year-old, away from her.
McCallister is charged with three counts of felony child neglect and two misdemeanor counts of contributing to juvenile delinquency.
Cabell County Sheriff's Deputy, Det. William Templeton said McCallister endangered the children when she gave them the cigarettes regardless of what they were and weren't doing with them. He also said allowing young children to light fireworks is also a danger.
McCallister was scheduled for a preliminary hearing this morning, but her attorney asked for a continuance. McCallister will be back in court March 10.
Tune in to WSAZ tonight at 5pm and 6pm for the exclusive interview with Teresa McCallister.
cThe mom who Cabell County Sheriff Tom McComas says not only let her six and eight year old children smoke cigarettes cigarettes, but took pictures and shot video of the act, has turned herself in.
Detective William Templeton says Teresa Ann McCallister, 44, was arrested over the weekend after turning herself in.
Templeton says McCallister bonded out after being charged with three counts of felony child neglect and two misdemeanor counts of contributing to juvenile delinquency.
She is expected have a preliminary hearing on the charges Friday.
Earlier this month, McComas announced that investigators were looking fro the mom.
Sheriff Department Investigators told WSAZ.com that McCallister left her phone at the home of the father of the children. They say that the father found the photos and a video and then called the Sheriff's Department.
The video on the phone allegedly shows the two young boys smoking cigarettes buy cigarettes and setting off fireworks with them. One of the boys was burned while setting off the fireworks.
vThe mom who Cabell County Sheriff Tom McComas says not only let her six and eight year old children smoke cigarettes cigarettes, but took pictures and shot video of the act, has turned herself in.
Detective William Templeton says Teresa Ann McCallister, 44, was arrested over the weekend after turning herself in.
Templeton says McCallister bonded out after being charged with three counts of felony child neglect and two misdemeanor counts of contributing to juvenile delinquency.
She is expected have a preliminary hearing on the charges Friday.
Earlier this month, McComas announced that investigators were looking fro the mom.
Sheriff Department Investigators told WSAZ.com that McCallister left her phone at the home of the father of the children. They say that the father found the photos and a video and then called the Sheriff's Department.
The video on the phone allegedly shows the two young boys smoking cigarettes cheap cigarettes and setting off fireworks with them. One of the boys was burned while setting off the fireworks.
A mother is facing some serious charges after allegedly giving buy cigarettes to her two young sons.
Theresa McCallister, 44, allegedly gave her six-year-old and 8-year-old sons cigarettes to smoke, and took pictures of it happening.
The Cabell County Sheriff's Department tells WSAZ.com that McCallister left her phone at the home of the father of the children. They say that the father found the photos, and a video, and then called the Sheriff's Department.
The video on the phone allegedly shows the two young boys smoking cigarettes cigarettes and setting off fireworks with them. One of the boys was burned while setting off the fireworks.
McCallister is facing two counts of child neglect creating risk of injury, one count of child neglect resulting in injury and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
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