When a fad social media challenge picks up speed, those who weren’t on the ground floor of it are often left scratching their heads as to how it started.
Whether it involves eating Tide Pods or people literally lighting themselves on fire, it’s hard to wrap our heads around what context could possibly compel multiple people to make an obviously bad decision.
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However, it seems that being in the know early on doesn’t always help. Many of us can say we’re on the ground floor of a weird trend where people lick ice cream and then put it back in store freezers, but that doesn’t make us any closer to understanding it.
It all began when a young woman in a Lufkin, Texas Walmart licked the contents of a tub of Blue Bell ice cream.
It’s clear from the video that she was encouraged to do this and to put it back in the freezer by a male companion and police used the evidence posted to locate both of them.
At first, it seemed she would face two to 20 years in prison for the crime of tampering with a consumer product.
As The Daily Mail reported , however, it has since been discovered that she’s a minor and Lufkin police now have no plans to charge her as an adult.
Whatever consequences she now receives for her actions will be decided within the juvenile justice system.
The same will not hold true for 36-year-old Lenise Lloyd Martin III of Belle Rose, Louisiana, who was apparently inspired to record a similar video.
Not only did he reach for the same brand of ice cream and lick it like in the original video, but he also upped the ante by sticking his fingers in it and then licking it again.
The difference in this case was that he had actually purchased the ice cream he tampered with.
When store management became aware of his spin-off video, he returned with a receipt proving that he hadn’t left the ice cream in the freezer as his video would suggest and took it home with him.
Nonetheless, he has been arrested and charged with tampering with property and posting of criminal activity.
His mugshot, as made available by the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office, features him in an apparently jovial mood.
Aside from the ridiculousness of the situation, it’s unclear what’s so funny.
Police, however, are taking the matter entirely seriously.
As a representative from the Sheriff’s Office said , “‘It is illegal. It is a health risk to others. We will pursue anyone we see do this. You will be charged. We discourage anyone from copying this atrocious act.”
Martin is now in jail, but is scheduled to appear in court for a bond hearing today.
h/t: The Daily Mail
