Ear-Responsible Parenting? Arkansas Father Arrested For Allegedly Piercing Minor Son's Ear

An Arkansas father has been arrested after allegedly piercing his minor son’s ear while at home, an act that's illegal according to Arkansas state law, officials said.

On April 20, the Tontitown Police Department was notified by a Springdale Police school resource officer regarding a juvenile student who went to school with a piercing in his left ear, authorities said.

While in class, the student reportedly said his father, 45-year-old Jeremy Sherland, “was drunk and put him in a chokehold and shoved the piercing in his ear,” police said.

Police went to the family’s home about Shetland allegedly piercing his son’s ear. Officers tried to investigate the matter further, but Sherland refused to let them talk to his son and declined to speak with officials. Police left the home without incident.

Police then spoke with the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office and returned to Sherland’s home to make a probable cause arrest, officials said.

Officers asked Sherland to come outside, but he “refused, standing in the doorway with his hands behind the door and wall posturing himself,” authorities said.

The officers told Sherland they had cause to arrest him but said Sherland “refused to comply.” They then got into an altercation, which was captured in a viral TikTok video.

Arkansas law states, “A person shall not perform body art on a person under 16 years of age, regardless of parental consent,” the Tontitown Police said about the case, noting that it is also illegal to perform body art at an unlicensed facility.

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Sherland was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, refusal to submit to arrest, and obstructing governmental operations, officials said.

He was booked into the Washington County Detention Center and later released on $1,500 bond.