Minnesota gymnastics coach accused of tattooing 15-year-old girl without parental consent
Well, this story will shatter any stereotype you might have about gymnastics coaches.
A Minnesota high school gymnastics coach has been placed on leave pending an investigation into whether he illegally tattooed a 15-year-old girl without her parents' permission, according to a KMSP-TV report (h/t Minneapolis Star Tribune).
Curt Rasmussen reportedly alerted the City of Hastings Police Department in Minnesota that he believed Park High (Cottage Grove, Minn.) gymnastics coach Terry Hardy, 38, tattooed his daughter Abby and pierced her tongue without parental consent. The coach has since been placed on leave at Park and fired from a similar community education position.
Hardy "made no bones about it" during an interview with law enforcement officials, HPD Police Lt. Jim Rgnonti told the Star Tribune. "He said he did it."
Minnesota outlawed tattooing minors without parental consent until this past August, when the state banned tattoos on anyone under age 18 altogether, regardless of consent. According to reports, the girl may have received tattoos as early as June and as late as September. Hardy has reportedly been cited on a pair of misdemeanor assault charges and could also face penalties for allegedly tattooing and piercing without a license.
A South Washington County Schools district spokesperson issued this statement.
"Allegations have been made against Park High School Gymnastics Head Coach Terry Hardy. Upon learning of the allegations, he was placed on paid administrative leave by the district. He is on administrative leave pending further investigation as the head coach of Park High School gymnastics, but has been dismissed as a gymnastics coordinator for District 833s community education program."
Meanwhile, Curt Rasmussen and his daughter appeared on KMSP-TV, detailing the allegations and even revealing Abby's three tattoos: a cross on the back of her neck, the word "strength" on her wrist and the following lyrics from a song entitled "Chelsea Smile" by British metalcore band Bring Me the Horizon on their album "Suicide Season."
We all carry these things inside that no one else can see.
They hold us down like anchors. They drown us out at sea.
Abby Rasmussen, who is not a member of Park's gymnastics team, told the local TV news station that she met Hardy through a now graduated gymnast from last year's team and that several fellow students as well as Hardy himself told her he was a licensed tattoo artist. She expressed regret over her decision and accepted partial blame.
"This is to stop him from tattooing people," Curt Rasmussen told KMSP-TV. "I'm not happy she has tattoos. That, and why is he bringing 15-year-old girls to his house? That's just not right behavior."
Curt Rasmussen discovered the tattoos and texts from Hardy to his daughter after Abby was allegedly charged with egging a high school gymnast's car, according to the report. In other words, just your typical high school gymnastics story out of Minnesota.
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