YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK: A mother is in jail and faces a possible fifteen year sentence for letting her kids get sunburned at the fair. She needs a stiff lecture and a bottle of sunscreen. Steubenville, Ohio sheriff Fred Abdala needs a clue.

UPDATE: Several readers email to say that the CNN story doesn’t capture the extent of the problem Here’s one from reader Debbie Eberts:

Fred Abdala was interviewed via telephone on Fox News by Brigette Quinn this morning. The first words out of his mouth were that the county was NOT

seeking 15 years for this mother & that he had no idea where that rumor started (we all know). She’s been in jail for about 7 days, is being released today and will be given probation and placed under the “watchful eyes” of CPS (his words, not mine). Apparently, this mom is “familiar” with CPS and the end goal is to train her to properly care for her children. So, tax dollars are at work here and Sheriff Abdala seems pretty reasonable.

Of course, she’ll probably turn around and sue the Jefferson County Fair for not issuing sunburn warnings.