Local mom who recorded child licking medical equipment allowed bond

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A local mother who recorded a video of a girl licking a tongue depressor and returning it to the jar in a doctor's office will be allowed to bond out of jail.

That decision happened in court Friday morning.

Cori Ward walked up to the podium for her first appearance in court Friday morning.

The mother of five was charged with a felony and was told she could no longer have any contact with the doctor’s office or social media.

Her bond was also set to $2,500.

Ward was arrested Thursday after recording her daughter a licking tongue depressor at a doctor’s office and putting it back in a jar.

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Action News Jax is not naming the location where it happened because the doctor’s office isn’t accused of doing anything wrong.

Paul Shorstein, Ward’s attorney, told us he believes the charges against her went too far and he doesn’t think she should have been charged with a felony for recording her child doing something that, he says, "just wasn’t very smart."

Shorstein also said he doesn’t believe anyone at the doctor's office was in any danger.

“It’s a travesty and abusive that she was charged with the highest-level crime in Florida for essentially recording her kids,” said Shorstein.

Only Action News Jax spoke with Ward on Wednesday.

She told us she notified doctor’s office after it happened and said didn’t mean to put anyone in danger.

“I know what it’s like to, you know, have to worry about your kids’ health and stuff. I would never put somebody else’s kid at risk,” she said.

Shorstein says Ward also threw out the tongue depressors shortly after.

He says he’ll be speaking with the State Attorney’s Office next and provide it with information on what happened and what led up to Ward’s arrest to try to get his client’s charges dropped.

“I think she just wants to move on from it,” he said.

Ward’s next court appearance is scheduled for August.

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