16-year-old inked by student at school

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) - 16-year-old Timisha Deloatch said she got inked by another student at Hampton High School.

"He had a packet of sewing needles and a mechanical pencil. He dipped the point in the ink that he had for everybody," said Deloatch.

According to Timisha, the student inked two others as well - all while Timisha said her art teacher watched.

"She closed the door so no administrators would walk past and see and at one point she took a picture and sent it to her friend," said Deloatch.

"It hurt, but it wasn't worse than the regular gun for the tattoo," said Deloatch.

Lovella Deloatch let her daughter Timisha get her grandmother's initials professionally tattooed on her arm and the words "beautiful nightmare" on her lower back.

That was before they learned Timisha is a type 1 diabetic.

"It could get infected easily, she could get gangrene easily. It wouldn't heal, it could still be bleeding and I wouldn't know because it was on the inside, she could lose a limb, anything," said Lovella.

"She might have made a bad judgement call for herself, but she's 16, the adult was supposed to have stepped in and said no," she continued.

This is why Lovella wanted to warn other parents.

"It's okay to be a friend with your teacher, but it's still a line between that teacher and that student and she crossed that line," said Lovella.

A Hampton City Schools spokesperson said an investigation is underway and that she could not comment on specific teachers or students.

In a statement released to WAVY.com, Ann Stephens-Cherry said, "....this matter is being addressed as a serious concern that affects the health, safety, and security of the learning environment in Hampton City Schools."