WATAUGA, Texas – A 16-year-old accused of videotaping two youngsters who were taught to smoke pot has been ordered to remain in the custody of Tarrant County juvenile authorities.
The teen, who is not being identified because he is a juvenile, must remain at the juvenile detention center in Fort Worth for at least the next 10 days, authorities said Tuesday.
A judge on Monday issued the order during a brief detention hearing for the teen, who has been in the custody of authorities since Feb. 23, said Bruce Ure, Watauga's Department of Public Safety director.
The teen could be charged with delinquent conduct/injury to a child, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
The two teens accused of giving the marijuana cigars to the 2-year-old and 4-year-old — Demetris McCoy, 17, of Watauga and Vanswan Polty, 18, of Fort Worth — each have been charged with two felony counts of injury to a child, police said. McCoy is the children's uncle.
Their mother, Shatorria McCoy, was horrified that her brother taught them how to smoke marijuana, said her sister. Authorities said Shatorria McCoy was asleep in a back bedroom when the incident occurred, and she has not been arrested.
"She was pretty shocked," Sharonda McCoy told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "She didn't even know."
Shatorria McCoy and her family are distraught about the children being placed in foster care, Sharonda McCoy said.
On Feb. 23, the day after Fort Worth police discovered the videotape in the Watauga home during a burglary investigation, Child Protective Services removed the two children from the house where Shatorria McCoy lives with her mother and brother.
A hearing will be held later this month to determine whether the children will be returned to live with their mother, according to CPS officials.
Watauga is a Fort Worth suburb of about 24,000 residents.
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