Troopers said witnesses described the mark as a “party dot” tattoo.
COLUMBIA, Ky. — A 27-year-old Kentucky woman was charged with fourth-degree assault child abuse after state police said a 22-month-old child was found with a black dot tattoo on the forearm.
Brook McDaniel was arrested May 4 after Kentucky State Police troopers responded to a child abuse complaint at a home in Columbia, according to reports citing a uniform citation. The case drew attention after police said witnesses told troopers McDaniel had called the mark a “party dot” and said the toddler wanted the tattoo. Authorities also said child welfare officials were contacted because of conditions inside the home.
Troopers from Kentucky State Police Post 15 went to 230 Bridgepoint Circle in Columbia after receiving the complaint. They found McDaniel and the 22-month-old child at the home, according to the citation described by local outlets. McDaniel told troopers she had been tattooing her own leg when the child walked up to her and put an arm in the path of the tattoo gun. Police said the child had a black dot tattoo on the right forearm with redness around the area. McDaniel was taken to the Adair County Detention Center after the visit.
Investigators said witness accounts gave a different picture of what happened. Several witnesses told troopers that McDaniel had said she gave the child a “party dot” tattoo and that the child wanted it, according to the citation. Police did not release a detailed timeline showing how long the tattooing lasted, what equipment was used or how many adults were present when the child was marked. Authorities also did not release medical details about the child’s condition beyond the black dot and redness that troopers said they observed on the forearm.
The citation did not fully explain McDaniel’s relationship to the child in the reports that first covered the arrest. Some later reports described the toddler as her son, but the local citation-based accounts referred to the child without naming the toddler. Police did not release the child’s name, and the child’s age means the child is not being identified in public reports. Troopers also did not say whether the tattoo was made with a professional tattoo machine, a homemade device or another tool. No other arrests had been reported in connection with the case as of Saturday.
Kentucky State Police said the investigation also raised concerns about the home. Troopers contacted the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, including the Department for Community Based Services, after reporting what they described as “deplorable” living conditions. The agency’s role in the case was not described in detail. Officials did not say whether the child remained in the home, was placed with another relative or received medical care after the complaint. Child welfare records are often confidential, and no public statement from the agency had laid out the child’s placement or next steps.
McDaniel faces a fourth-degree assault charge tied to child abuse. The charge is being handled through local court proceedings after her booking at the Adair County jail. Reports citing jail and court information said she was held on a $5,000 cash bond. It was not clear Saturday whether she had entered a plea or retained an attorney. Her next court date had not been widely reported. The case may next move through an arraignment, bond review or other early hearing where more details from the citation could become part of the public record.
The case spread quickly beyond south-central Kentucky because of the child’s age and the unusual explanation described in the citation. Law enforcement accounts focused on the alleged tattoo, the redness on the child’s arm, the witness statements and the condition of the home. Police did not release body camera footage, photos of the tattoo or a full incident report. The allegations remain claims in a criminal case, and McDaniel has not been convicted. Authorities said the investigation was ongoing after the arrest.
By Saturday, McDaniel had been booked, the child abuse charge had been filed and state police had confirmed that child welfare officials were contacted. Public records had not yet answered key questions about the child’s medical care, custody status or the next court date.
Author note: Last updated May 9, 2026.