Teens Charged With Teaching Tots To Toke

Tape Shows 2-Year-Old, 5-Year-Old Getting Lesson In Smoking What Appears To Be Marijuana

(CBS/AP)  Two teenagers were arrested after police found a video of them showing two children, including one just two years old, how to smoke marijuana, authorities said.

Fort Worth Police found the video Feb. 22 while investigating Demetris McCoy, 17, and Vanswan Polty, 18, in connection with some burglaries.

In the video, the children are called "potheads" and a man can be seen placing what appears to be a marijuana cigarette into a baby's mouth. In another part of the video a boy is seen smoking on his own. The children were also asked if they "have the munchies."

"It is unbelievable," Bruce Ure of the Watauga Department of Public Safety told the Dallas Morning News. "You can hear one of them say, 'Let's get high.' And they're just encouraging them to keep puffing on it."

Police said the boys are McCoy's nephews, aged 2 and 5. The children have been placed in foster care, the child protective services said.

Both men have been arrested on felony charges of injury to a child and were being held in jail Sunday. It was not immediately known if the two men had attorneys.

"The 2-year-old is puffing away and obviously inhaling. He's coughing like he's got a smoker's cough," Ure told the newspaper. "The 2-year-old is stumbling. He's giggling. He's falling down. He's debilitated. Our suspects are just laughing uncontrollably. They think this is the funniest thing they ever saw."

Shirley Russell, McCoy's grandmother, told KXAS-TV that she was working when the video was made.

"I'm very upset about it. I didn't raise them like that and they know I didn't raise them like that," Russell said. "I feel terrible about it, it's outrageous, all the things that went on and I didn't know nothing about them."

Asked for comment by KXAS-TV as he was being led into jail, McCoy responded with expletives.

A telephone listing found for a Vanswan Polty in the Fort Worth-area was not in service. A telephone listing for McCoy could not be immediately found.

[olebd]

No mention of where mom and dad of the teens are. Seems that grandma raised them but had to work to keep them fed and clothed.

I hope these idiots get maximum punishment for this stunt.

[amandasw1]

"I'm very upset about it. I didn't raise them like that and they know I didn't raise them like that," Russell said. "I feel terrible about it, it's outrageous, all the things that went on and I didn't know nothing about them."

I call BS on the entire thing. Granny knew they smoked pot... Everyone should get the maximum.
This is exactly why it will never be legalized.

[burlykatz]

I am the mother of a 2 year old and the thought of ANYONE doing this, especially a family member, to my son makes me ill! I hope those little pot-smoking *** get punished to the full extent of the law for what they did to those little babies! This makes me absolutely sick!

[thenamesdave]

The saddest part of this whole thing is that so many people will see the video and be unable to get around the fact that the people involved are black.

[robjk1-2009]

What does black got to do with it?

[robjk1-2009]

They are teenagers, not much will happen, probably.

[wendyhoo-2009]

I am disgusted!!! I have a two year old or soon to be two year old. Someone better be watching over my family member if I ever found someone doing this or anything harmful to my child. It is not just about the point the 2 year old was smoking pot. REALLY the bad situation here is the brain cells that have been affected by this. At this age children are not developed fully in the brain and I don't think it takes a brain surgeon to know this. Every thing such as smoking and drinking and even a CT scan kills many cells at this age and this cells do not grow back. This child depending on how many times they have made this kid smoke pot can seriously be damaged learning wise as he gets older. Shame on the teens and shame on the parents who were not even mentioned. Probably don't have custody themselves for similar reasons.

[wendyhoo-2009]

Every thing such as smoking and drinking and even a CT scan kills many cells at this age and this cells do not grow back.

Excuse me this ... should be these cells do not grow back.

[amandasw1]

You know what? It's true. It's because they are BLACK that this is getting the attention of the media.

If you believe that, then...

Pot use is almost always associated with BLACK.
Meth use is almost always associated with WHITE.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sarcasm~~~~~~~~~
Stop trying to make it a race thing. It's about teens abusing young children. It's about teenaged boys smoking pot, while granny works to support their lazy butts. If I were granny, I'd kick these ungrateful boys to the curb. I can't wait to see what details about the mother and father's whereabouts come to light.

[nikkica]

You know it has nothing to do with being BLACK
or any other color I read the arc. and didn't see anything bout it saying being black. The fact is there was two black kids playing with two babies lives. at that age a child is growing and learning.They don't need the help of two kids killing their hopes and dreams. The effects of this drug is alot on two babies. It has nothing to do with with color. Everybody sees nothing but COLOR.

[wendyhoo-2009]

Oh god are you serious... is this really going to become a race thing. WHo gives a *** about the skin color... we are talking about a GOD *** 2 YR OLD being given pot... I am sure dumb *** like this happens in all races. Don't bring this to a race issue it is about a child.

[rohink-2009]

To turn this into a race thing is ridiculous. Excuses, excuses. There are no absolutes anymore, everything is relative. It depends on what your definition of is is. ( We can thank the liberals for that) We as a society are losing our morals. Wake up people. There is such a thing as good or bad, right or wrong. Let's start doing the right thing. Where were the parents? Where are the positive role models?

[karen091866]

Tragic enough that these teenagers did this...but to capture it on video, too?

:O

[rohink-2009]

Everybody is so quick to video tape everything. It does come back to haunt you, doesn't it? So much for everyone's 15 minutes of fame.

[sarahm1021]

You know what, this race issue is getting rediculous. These are 2 young children we are talking about. It does not matter what race these children are. Give me a break that the "Saddest part of this whole thing is people will see the video and just focus on what color they are". "thenamesdave"......Yes I'm talking to you. What about the saddest thing being the children?????? THINK!!!!! It is people like you that keep the race issue going. GROW UP! How would you like it if someone gave your kids (if you have any) POT??? I myself have 2 kids (2&6) and if this happen to them (well first of all I wouldn't LEAVE my kids with Juvies.....Where is the MOTHER or FATHER??? Grow up people, grow up. Bringing up the race issue like that you are probebly young and a troubled kid your self....

[phil-in-fin]

This is so disgusting ...

But hey?

What's everybody so shocked about?

I remember having a discussion in here last week with a couple of potheads who said that marijuana is perfectly safe. Just like having a beer, they said.

That marijuana should be legalized because "millions" are doing it.

Would it have been so bad if they were teaching those poor things how to drink?

No?

So, don't be so shocked everyone. This is real life in America.

[kailumego1]

I agree with most of the posters this is not a race issue, it's a parenting issue of teaching children right from wrong and most of all RESPECT.

Obviously, there were no positive role models at home, because if there were this type of tragedy wouldn't happened.

Some people shouldn't be allowed to have children, cut and dry, to the point, I don't understand why we as a nation don't address this fact.

[scott4261]

First of all, the argument of whether marijuana should or should not be legalized is completely irrelevant to this discussion. We are talking about two teenagers who got two babies stoned (and they taped it!). The criticism would be and should be just as harsh if they put bourbon in the babies' milk to get them drunk or to make them sleep.

Second, why didn't the grandmother realize that these two thugs were not responsible enough to baby sit? If those kids are two stoners, then it should have blatantly obvious that they were not up to the task long before now.

[fredegrar]

This story makes me very angry. I've been working for the cause of marijuana legalization for some time now, and idiots like these make my work that much more difficult. Those poor babies! I hope both of those creeps are charged with child abuse as adults and do a considerable stretch in a lovely Texas jail. (One can tell these two are idiots because not only is the crime beyond the pale, they were also dumb enough to tape it).

[rohink-2009]

Not only was the Grandmother home, so was the mom. The one teen was the brother of the kids mom. She defended her brother saying that she knew he didn't mean to harm the kids. Nice huh? And as for the Grandma and mom being oblivious, give me a break, you can smell that stuff a mile away. Especially a blunt!! So, whether they knew that they were giving it to the children or not. They knew it was being smoked in the house. Those children should be taken away from them.

[arcountrygal]

This video sadness me, and I totally agree with rohink

[anopinion1]

"I'm very upset about it. I didn't raise them like that and they know I didn't raise them like that," Russell said. "I feel terrible about it, it's outrageous, all the things that went on and I didn't know nothing about them."

I call BS on the entire thing. Granny knew they smoked pot... Everyone should get the maximum.
This is exactly why it will never be legalized.
Posted by AmandaSW1 at 08:45 AM : Mar 05, 2007

yet alachol is legal?? i am sure gettin kids this age drunk would kill more brain cells. mess them up more.

[comment2]

This is not about race. Forget about the video (which is proof). If your reading about this in the paper with no pictures mostly likely it will mention names. This is about 2 teenagers left to take care of 2 toddlers while the grandmother is working. The parents of these teens are not mentioned so I am assuming that the grandmother is the guardian who is fully responsible for their actions. It is obvious they knew what they were doing, watching and asking these toddlers how they feel not to mention any damage to their brain cells. I hope the authorities do a lot more background checks on these teens. As far the toddlers, I hope and wish they will be given medical clearence and placed in a good daycare while their parents/guardians work.

[wendyhoo-2009]

yet alachol is legal?? i am sure gettin kids this age drunk would kill more brain cells. mess them up more.

Posted by anopinion1 at 10:42 AM : Mar 05, 2007

LMAO... Looks like you smoked enough weed in your time to kill some brain cells...

Drinking would do the same damage but even worse it will also effect the liver.

[rohink-2009]

People ask, "where are the parents"? The mother of the 2 and 5 year old is 21. She was a child when she had them. Bet the Grandma is in her 30's. Is there even a dad in the picture. This country is full of children being born to girls. Start encouraging children to get an education, become productive members of society, then get married and raise a family. It is the death of family that is causing most of the ills in this country along with most of Western civilization. Wake up.

[rohink-2009]

It's not the Black Mans fault.( What, white men don't have ***?) It is lack of morals and proper up bringing. These young girls are having ***. Where are the parents?Let us talk personal accountability. The media shoves *** down the throats of young kids. Look at the clothes young girls where. They don't have a job, they aren't the ones going out buying it. Adults are. And as for the clothing manufacturers, they wouldn't make the clothing if people didn't purchase them. As I said earlier, we as a society are responsible for this.

[amandasw1]

Would you be happy to know that the doctor you have a scheduled surgery with is a heavy pot smoker?

Would you trust your kids to a child care/day care worker who was stoned out of their head?

Would you be excited to know that more than half of the people you work with, trust them not to cause an accident, smoke pot?

Would you hire someone to work on your home, if they smelled like they just came back from smoking pot?

They will NEVER legalize pot because then you'd have to pay a tax on it. Healthcare costs would be affected, and it's already a fact that some number of people can't afford healthcare coverage... yet they can afford pot? ***?

The truth of the matter is, EVERYONE in that family KNEW about the pot habit. It's not until something BAD happens that all of a sudden they are concerned. Put them ALL in JAIL, STERILIZE all family members and let's keep people like this from breeding.

[rohink-2009]

I guess you can't say s*x on this posting. You can be fowl and crude but God forbid you say s*x!
Whatever................

[whatithink-2009]

Everything in this country somehow becomes a race issue. We still have a long way to go. I guess it is hard to believe that there are idiots in every race for some people.

[whatithink-2009]

To superchez1,

It was unclear to me from the video that every single black male in America was sitting in that room there giving those children pot. This must be a very large house. However, given that it was EVERY SINGLE BLACK MALE IN AMERICA in this room, I can understand why you are blaming all black men and not just those two teenagers for this incident.

[fredegrar]

"It is the death of family that is causing most of the ills in this country along with most of Western civilization."
Posted by rohink at 11:07 AM : Mar 05, 2007

------------------------------
You and Bill Bennett think alike. Is *your* family 'dead'? My family's just fine. As long as we focus on our own dang families (as opposed to worrying about everybody else's) things will be fine. This whole idea that there ever was some idyllic time when most people had these awesome, completely functional, reasonable families has *got* to be a myth. If anything, there may have been a time when society's dirty laundry was just better hidden than it is now.

[rohink-2009]

It amazes me that people focus on race alot on CBS posts. It is lack of morals and proper upbringing plain and simple. We have abandoned personal responsibility, always blaming it on someone else. If I remember correctly it is something called free will. And there are consequences for your actions.

[whatithink-2009]

To Fredegrar,

Exactly. Things have not been perfect with the family since Adam and Eve. If you don't believe me, you should ask them what happened with their two sons. The only difference between today and the past is our readiness to advertise things these days.

it's called legalized abortion...these kids won't grow up to be productive members in society, they're going to be your next criminals. why do u think crime amazingly dropped in the 90's...abortions became legal inthe 70's...thus less criminals being born.

what's more harmful, preventing criminals from being born? or allowing them to be brought into this world by people who subject their children to this?

[rohink-2009]

You and Bill Bennett think alike. Is *your* family 'dead'? My family's just fine. As long as we focus on our own dang families (as opposed to worrying about everybody else's) things will be fine. This whole idea that there ever was some idyllic time when most people had these awesome, completely functional, reasonable families has *got* to be a myth. If anything, there may have been a time when society's dirty laundry was just better hidden than it is now.
Posted by fredegrar

Leave Bill Bennett out of this. There are more children having children, and lack of personal responsibility. I have an opinion just like everyone else on this post. And, I have lived a few years and have learned along the way.

[fredegrar]

"Would you hire someone to work on your home, if they smelled like they just came back from smoking pot?
They will NEVER legalize pot because then you'd have to pay a tax on it."
Posted by AmandaSW1
-------------------------------------------------

No, and I wouldn't hire them if they smelled like gin or tequila or rum either - but AT LEAST somebody paid (relatively high) taxes on the alcohol! People who use mind altering substances on the job deserve to be fired (or sued or charged with a crime in the theoretical case of the doctor or day care worker that you cite).

[connapa]

And people thought Beavis and Butthead were stupid.

[anopinion1]

as long as the doctor wasnt gonna be high when he came in for the surgery...it would be fine

untill they come up with a foolproof way to test if someone is high at that moment like a breathalizer does for alachol it prob wont be legal or even be considered...
i.e. people driving baked

isnt this the land of the free??? yet they make things illigal that can harm us??? lets make salt, vege oil, butter, all illigal to

[fredegrar]

"Leave Bill Bennett out of this... And, I have lived a few years and have learned along the way.
Posted by rohink at 11:52 AM : Mar 05, 2007
---------------

My apologies. I didn't mean to minimize your opinions because they appeared to resemble those of some other more recognizable public figure. I don't know why I'm being so confrontational this morning anyway. I guess since my two most closely held personal causes are legalization and gay rights, I have knee-jerk reactions to ideas that look like conservative talking points on these issues. I think I'll go find something more productive to do for a while...

[rf35]

Terrible thing to do to a couple of kids. Probably was pretty funny, though. I can't wait to get home and watch it (stupid work network filters).

[scott4261]

First of all, the argument of whether marijuana should or should not be legalized is completely irrelevant to this discussion. We are talking about two teenagers who got two babies stoned (and they taped it!). The criticism would be and should be just as harsh if they put bourbon in the babies' milk to get them drunk or to make them sleep.

Second, why didn't the grandmother realize that these two thugs were not responsible enough to baby sit? If those kids are two stoners, then it should have blatantly obvious that they were not up to the task long before now.

[rohink-2009]

Mom 'Devastated' at Claim Tots Smoked Pot
From ABC news. She was in the house when it was going on and defended her brother (the children's uncle) saying she knew he didn't mean them any harm.

Just lovely............

She should be charged also.

[robjk1-2009]

some kids don't have a chance, what a shame!

[ecuadoriana]

I am very worried about the long term psychological effect on those two little ones. The teens are a lost cause, unless some miracle happens- like getting the *** kicked out of them in prison. They should also be made to register as s*x offenders, because they did violate the bodies of those little ones.

What's going to happen to those little ones when they miss the experience of getting stoned? To them it was fun. They don't understand the ramifications. When they are told that what happened was bad, then they'll feel violated & have trust issues. But what about later, when they're older & they encounter kids in school offering them to get high? Will they be more likely to go along because they will remember the experience as fun?

Thank goodness someone saw this tape & investigated! How many times before & after this tape was made did these teens do this to these children? What next? Crack? I shudder to think how closely these little ones could have come to dying so these teens can get this kick. Now they'll get kicked in prison.

[burlykatz]

For anyone who thinks this is an issue of race... get over yourselves! I feel sorry for you people. This is about children given an illegal substance by STUPID teenagers/adults-- whether they be white, black, hispanic, asian, etc.etc. It's sick in any race/culture.

Without a doubt everyone in that household knew what was going on. In fact, it was probably something that this moronic famiy did together! And I agree with whoever said that the fact they taped this shows how stupid they are! If they didn't tape it, the kids may have ended up dead (and still may if they return to that household). Those children should be taken away from that family and never given back.
And for anyone who thinks it's funny or amusing to see 2 children high, you are seriously ill. They could have killed these kids!

[michaure]

Freedom of speech is the concept of the inherent human right to voice one's opinion publicly without fear of censorship or punishment

get over it i will right as i wish don't like it don't read it. i don't care for what you said but i'm not telling you to beat it, your intitled to your opinion as am i.

[wdgliude]

were is jessie jackson i gess he not outraged

[yvette77-2009]

Michaure-
Yes you are indeed entitled your opinion and thus must accept ownership for it. However, you must also take ownership for your ignorance as well. "Removing" an entire race of people will not solve anything. There is absolutely no rationale in the comments you made. It almost sounds as if you have pictures of Adolph Hitler hanging on your walls.

Drugs are problem in every part of our society regardless of race. There are upper middle class and children of suburbia popping mommy and daddy's prescription meds or smoking meth in rural America. These kids just so happened to have their senseless crime documented. Before you start "removing" races of people why don't you look at the bigger problem at hand first.

Drugs are a problem that are deteriorating every corner of our nation. It's not immune to a particular race or group of people but then again neither is stupidity as you have graciously shown.

[whatithink-2009]

To Michaure,

If you are going to quote statistics, you should at least give the correct statistics. It makes you look stupid, otherwise. Blacks do not make up 80% of the prison population. And if you think of all the crime going on in places like Washington that never get prosecuted, you'd realize that being a criminal and going to prison are not the same thing. Poor people in general are more likely to go to jail than the rich. And, you are more like to go to jail for stealing a loaf of bread than you are for stealing the pension money from a bunch of widows and orphans.

[whatithink-2009]

To Michaure,

The only person that I see who needs to be shipped some place is you. People who make blanket statements about others are a huge part of the problem. That is also the problem. Those that are the problem don't realize that they are...THAT MEANS YOU.