Note: Virginia Jennelle pleaded no contest to a reduced first-degree misdemeanor charge of battery on May 5, 2016, and was sentenced to 12 months probation and required to have no contact with the victim, pay fines and enroll in anger management. Adjudication was withheld.
Virginia Jennelle, a 52-year-old resident of Pine Grove Drive in Palm Coast, was upset that her 14-year-old daughter was texting pictures of herself, unclothed. So in Jennelle’s telling to police, she threw food items and containers at her daughter, poured food all over her, struck her on the face with a broom, opening a wound that bled profusely, and fled the house.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office got the call from the girl about the altercation just after 3 p.m. Tuesday. She’d gone to seek help at a neighbor’s house, where the responding deputy found the girl bleeding from the head and crying hysterically, according to her mother’s arrest report.
In the kitchen where the altercation took place, “there was blood all over the floor,” along with shards of glass, “mustard and other types of liquid splattered all over the kitchen floor and walls.” The girl, who was treated for her injuries at Florida Hospital Flagler, told police that her mother had been “on edge” about provocative pictures she’d sent over the internet, so her mother “went nuts,” grabbing mustard, hot tomato juice, ketchup, butter knives and spoons and throwing them at her. Jennelle, according to her daughter, then got a broom and allegedly struck her in the head with it. When Jennelle saw her daughter bleeding, “she became scared and left the residence because she did not want to get into trouble for what she did.”
Fearing her daughter would run away, she poured food items at her to make her unpresentable.
As it turns out, her arrest report states, Jennelle drove to “several different locations in Palm Coast” before going to the city’s substation at City Market Place. She told authorities she was having chest pains, and said she knew she was going to jail but didn’t want to get in trouble for what she did. She was taken to Florida Hospital Flagler to be evaluated for her chest pains, and there, according to a deputy, she was “very loud and dramatic and unable to be understood.” The deputy did not ask her any questions, but according to the report she herself volunteered an account of what had happened, corroborating the matter of the pictures.
Jennelle said “she felt as though her daughter was tormenting her because she was laughing when [Jennelle] tried to discipline her, so she became enraged,” the arrest report states. Jennelle “said she thought her daughter was going to run away so she poured and threw several food items at her to make her unpresentable to leave the residence.” She then “struck her daughter in the forehead with the broom because she just ‘lost it.'”
As ordinary people who find themselves in similarly unmoored circumstances, Jennelle said she didn’t want to go to jail and just wanted the whole matter to go away as long as she had help from the Department of Children and Families to keep her family together. But, the report states, she “did not appear to understand the severity of what occurred between her and her daughter.” She also conceded that her daughter never struck her, nor provoked her as if she were going to strike her.
The physician who tended to the girl’s laceration on her forehead said a scar was likely.
Jennelle was booked on a second-degree felony charge which, if convicted, could expose her to 15 years in prison. Bond was set at $25,000. She posted bail and was released, but was issued an order of no contact with her daughter. Unless the charge is dropped, she is to be arraigned before Circuit Judge Matthew Foxman on May 2 at 8:30 p.m.
Billy Club says
How dare she do that to her daughter! Doesn’t she know she has to wear a badge or get someone who does to that in order for it to be legal?
woodchuck says
Now that is old school parenting.I’m am sure she did’t what to cut her face.She just didn’t want her daughter to act like a tramp.
Charlie D says
Did the mother go too far, yes. If that was my child I would be smacking her into next week. She’s sending nude photos of herself to whom. She is all of 14 years old. There has to be some sort of law about the photos. IMO the girl should also be charged with something.
PCer says
teenagers… driving people nuts since the beginning of time. Although I do no condone the mom’s actions, will the kid get any punishment for sending the pictures? Additionally, who did she send them to? Will they be charged with child pornography or possession of child porn?
Joe says
How are you going to give a child a phone or Internet access, and then beat them when they use it, the child’s morals and values comes from the parent, to be honest I don’t understand how children are allowed to have phones in the 1st place, like who in their right mind gives a phone to a 14 year old? I would absolutely trust my 14 yr old with a phone but that doesn’t mean they should have one.
Concerned Citizen says
Both parties should be held accountable for their actions. Violence is never a solution for anything. Sure we got a good whooping growing up but never got beat over the head with a broom stick.
The mother needs to be evaluated but not released from her actions for “mental issues”. If you beat someone up outside of self defense then by all means jail time for you.
The daughter needs to be held accountable for “sending provocative pictures” over the internet. I’m sure a crime was committed on her part in doing that. Let’s see her laugh after she gets a record.
And another thought while this case is being investigated let’s find out who the recipient is of said pictures and charge them with receiving child porn.
Might send a message about these type of shenanigans. Youth act the way they do now because they aren’t held responsible for anything.
Lynn Savage says
This poor woman doesn’t know it yet, but this is karma for her daughter. The Mother will get a long needed rest if she just sits back and enjoys the alone time, and the daughter will live with this crap for the rest of her life. My sympathies are with the mother, she went a little overboard, and may need some counseling, but in the long run this may be the wake up call for both.
Anonymous says
What are these young girls thinking? They have no respect for themselves. Sexual predators eat this stuff up. Just another teenager not thinking before they act. She should have to see a therapist along with her Mom. Mom went too far and now she has to pay for it. Here’s an idea get rid of the electronics so she can’t be on Facebook or whoever she posted those pictures. Parents you need to monitor your kids computer better.
nowYOUknow says
I’m pretty sure the receiver (and the sender) of these pictures can be charged with possession of child porn – despite being underaged.
Concerned says
A little “overboard”? Oh my God, she could’ve killed the kid. She could even have brain damage from being hit in the head. Did the teenager do something wrong? Absolutely. But, physical abuse is never the answer.
Just me says
get me on a that Jury and she walks a free woman…
Layla says
Joe, you make perfect sense. Why does a 14 year old have to have a cell phone? Because everybody else does? It’s time to stop with the cell phones, cancel the internet and become families again.
I wonder if this child realizes she is likely going to be permanently removed from this home? Very sad, indeed.
good friends says
I am close friends with this family. And there are so many more circumstances to this story. The mother is completely devastated! The information provided in this article is only half truth. The mother did NOT flee the scene! She went looking for her daughter,she is the one who called the police to get some help to find her daughter! The photos were not sent on the daughters cell phone because it had previously been taken away! The daughter used her school computer to do this. Yes the daughter needs to be held accountable , and this matter needs to be dealt with. This is not appropriate that it is plastered all over the internet! This girl is 14 and please remember when you make a comment to remember that this is going to forever scar her and her Mother! I personally think that Flagler live should remove this story because its not representing the truth! This family needs prayers and help! The internet is slowly destroying our youth! Social media can be cruel if people abuse it! The idea that this woman who is only trying to protect and teach her daughter could be facing jail time is tearing her up.
Amen says
I tend to agree- a teen laughing in your face as you try to tell them the dangers of that type of behavior can drive anyone overboard
dave says
A disrespectful kid , take her over to the Lowell Correction Center ( The State prison for women) in Ocala for a few days while hanging around with people she will one day meet if she keeps it up.
KARMA says
No one really knows what happened in that house . What or how the daughter could have been speaking to her mother and as a parent we don’t want our children sending nude pictures to anyone . Do we know if she ment to cut her daughters head or was she so angry because of what she found out that on top of her child laughing at her she picked up the 1st thing she saw ! I don’t think she ment to hurt this girl but also no one knows what goes on in the house so u can’t say one thing from another I think the child needs some help and so does the mom we know two things in this story are true a 14 year old sent nude pictures to someone and her mother found out and hit her with a broom that caused an old scar to open . But who knows what type of relationship they have
Anonymous says
This mother is not exactly leading by example. I would be willing to bet that both these women need intensive help…and CPS should be making sure that they BOTH get the help they need.
Maddi says
That “girl” is my best friend, i was with her i believe the weekend before this happened. The pictures happened with me there!! There is no reason for people to be bashing on her!! the pictures were NOT nude spandex were worn along with shorts and jacket to cover the torso! do not believe everything that is said, her mother should’ve been arrested a while ago but not my business to tell.
NortonSmitty says
Lets review here, you call 15 years in prison “Alone Time” and a “Wake-up call”? For trying (excessively no doubt) to save a 14 year old girls life? WTF, we have lost it in this country
JAD says
Sad
SingleMomBefore says
@ Concerned: When I was growing up the fact that I knew I’d get my a– beat by my parents is what built respect…for my parents and myself. I survived just fine. This girl needs discipline. I’m sure she p revoked her mother (it’s what teenagers do) to the point that she lost it. You must not have a teenager yet. Good luck when you do cuz there will come a time when you’d like to beat the snot out of ’em.
SingleMomBefore says
@ Dave….totally agree!!! Best post on this thread!