Tanning booth mom calls arrest for taking daughter, 5, a misunderstanding; ‘It was a sunburn,’ dad says

A New Jersey woman arrested for allegedly putting her 5-year-old daughter in a tanning booth says it was all a big misunderstanding.

Patricia Krentcil, 44, told NBC's local New York affiliate that she took her daughter with her to a local tanning salon but that the child was not exposed to the booth's synthetic UV rays.

"I tan, she doesn't tan," Krentcil said. "I'm in the booth, she's in the room. That's all there is to it."

Krentcil, of Nutley, N.J., was arrested last week, and charged Tuesday with felony child endangerment. She was released on a $25,000 bond and is due in court Wednesday.

"It's like taking your daughter to go food shopping," Krentcil said. "There's tons of moms that bring their children in."

Police, though, say Krentcil put her daughter in an upright tanning booth.

New Jersey state law prohibits children under the age of 14 from tanning booths. Children between the ages of 14 and 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

Police were alerted by school officials, who say Krentcil's daughter showed up for school with what appeared to be a sunburn, then told classmates she "went tanning with Mommy."

Rich Krentcil, the girl's father, told NBC the teacher misinterpreted his daughter.

"This whole big thing happened, and everyone got involved," he said. "It was 85 degrees outside, she got sunburned. That's it. That's all that happened."