20-year-old mother arrested after video shows baby smoking marijuana, North Carolina police say

Police in Raleigh, North Carolina said they arrested a 20-year-old mother Wednesday after video circulated on Facebook showing her one-year-old child smoking marijuana.

Brianna Ashanti Lofton was arrested and charged with two counts of felony child abuse, contributing to delinquency and possession of marijuana.

The video in question was posted on Facebook and shows someone off screen holding what appears to be a lit cigarillo up to a young child's lips. The child is seen inhaling and letting out small puffs of smoke.

Watch the video above.

WTVD reports that one version of the video was viewed at least a million times. Facebook users shared the video, expressing outrage and urging the mother's arrest

An arrest warrant confirmed the child in the video was smoking marijuana. It also stated the incident happened around December or January, according to WRAL.

Lofton's one year old child was placed with Wake County Child Protective Services on Wednesday. In a Facebook post, the Raleigh police department said the child is now safe and the mother is in police custody.

Lofton was taken to the Wake County Detention Center.


About the Author:

Brian is an Associate Producer for ClickOnDetroit. He graduated from the University of Michigan-Dearborn with a degree in Journalism and Screen Studies.