A mother who has been tanning for much of her adult life is facing charges of taking her 6-year-old daughter into a tanning booth. INSIDE EDITION caught up with the tanning mom who says she's innocent.
A deeply-tanned woman named Patricia Krentcil was on her way to court after being charged with allegedly endangering her six-year-old daughter by taking her to a tanning salon.
Krentcil said, "This is a lie. This is a disgrace. I'm ready to go to court. This is a big lie."
Forty-four-year-old Krentcil's appearance is so startling it's becoming the talk of the nation.
On The View, Whoopi Goldberg said, "When I looked at her, I thought she had been burned."
The online comments have been brutal.
One person said: "She looks like someone smeared a chocolate candy bar all over her face."
Another person said: "Mom looks like she tans in a microwave."
Addiction specialist Dr. Harris Strayer of New York's Mount Sinai Hospital says Krentcil clearly has a problem—some call it "tanorexia."
Dr. Harris said, "She looks bizarre. She needs help. Forget the daughter, the mom needs help."
Now, Krentcil is facing some very serious charges.
INSIDE EDITION went to the tanning salon where Patricia Krentcil developed that unbelievably dark tan. It's also where authorities say her six-year-old daughter got burned in a standup tanning booth.
Six-year-old Anna Krentcil is a fair-skinned little redhead who happily waved to INSIDE EDITION on her way to school. Her dad is standing by his wife, insisting their daughter simply got a little sunburn while playing outdoors.
"I just can't believe she's being charged with this," said Krentcil's husband.
New Jersey law states that nobody under 14 is allowed to use a tanning facility.
She pleaded not guilty in court Wednesday and had kind words for the judge as she left.
"Thank you. You have a nice day," said Krentcil to the judge.
Krentcil's attorney said, "My client is innocent. That child was never in that tanning booth."
And according to Krentcil, the only way she has been burned is by the law, proclaiming, "I'm innocent!"
