Vault: Four Underage Kids Got Tattoos From Their Parents

Summary

The Bert Show

Episode: Vault: Four Underage Kids Got Tattoos From Their Parents

Date: June 1, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around a shocking news story from Georgia where several underage children received tattoos from their parents using a homemade tattoo device. The hosts discuss their reactions to this real incident, using it as a comparison to their previous April Fool's prank involving a fake child tattoo scenario. The conversation delves into questions of parental judgment, legality, and the cultural factors behind such incidents, punctuated by the group's trademark humor and disbelief.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recounting The Bert Show’s April Fool’s Tattoo Prank (01:18–03:59)

• Host 1 shares background on their April Fool’s prank: they staged fake photos of his then-six-year-old son Hayden getting a tattoo, aiming to show how unbelievable such a scenario would be.
• Host 2 recalls, “Nobody, not one person, is gonna believe that I tattooed my kid. Not one.” (02:29)
• The prank unexpectedly led to a serious real-life consequence:
  • Someone reported them to DFCS (Division of Family and Children Services) after seeing the fake photos online.
  • DFCS visited their home twice to check on Hayden’s well-being.

Notable Quote:

"So I take Hayden on up to a psycho tattoo on Roswell Road, and we fake a whole bunch of pictures. Like, the tattooist goes up there, he takes the tattoo gun and gets close to Hayden, but obviously the needle never hit his skin." — Host 1 (02:44)

2. The Real News Story: Underage Kids Actually Tattooed By Parents (03:59–06:16)

• Host 1 introduces a real, recent news story in which a Georgia couple tattooed multiple children, aged 10–17, with a homemade device.
• Clip from CNN-style report: The mother, Joja Marsh, defends her actions, claiming, “I love my children. We'd never do Anything to harm our kids.” (04:20)
• Details from the Sheriff:
  • Six children tattooed with the same homemade needle—a cross on their hands.
  • Device assembled from household objects: guitar strings as the needle, an ink pen barrel, and powered by an electric motor (04:52).
• Law enforcement perspective: Sheriff John Everett expresses disbelief, saying, “We've never seen anything, never heard of anything like this in surrounding counties or anywhere.” (04:41)
• The couple is charged with illegal tattooing, cruelty to children, and reckless conduct.

Notable Quotes:

"We have kids from separate marriages...But they’re all ours. You know…they wanted one. So we were like, okay. It was just a little bitty cross right here." — Parent, Joja Marsh (05:17)

“The same needle was used on all six children…” — Sheriff John Everett (05:01)

“I don't think we did anything wrong. The kids don't think we did anything wrong. This is crazy. This has blowed up so bad.” — Parent, Joja Marsh (05:49)

3. Hosts React to the Bizarre Reality (06:03–06:16)

• Host 2 is incredulous about the news, calling it “such ignorance.”
• The hosts reflect on how their over-the-top prank was, in reality, something that actually happened.

Memorable Exchange:

Host 1: “As I was watching it, I'm like, this must be from The Onion or something like this. This can't be a real story.” (06:06)

Host 2: “It's just such ignorance.” (06:11)

Host 1: “They had them all, all of them tattooed.” (06:12)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:18–03:59]: April Fool’s Day prank background & consequences
• [03:59–06:16]: True story of the Georgia parents tattooing children, with news report audio and law enforcement commentary
• [06:03–06:16]: Immediate reactions from The Bert Show hosts

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “Somebody calls D fax on me. Somebody bought it. I mean, full on bought it. And defax shows up to my house, and this is no joke.” — Host 1 (03:28)
• “We've never seen anything, never heard of anything like this in surrounding counties or anywhere.” — Sheriff John Everett (04:41)
• “I don't think we did anything wrong. The kids don't think we did anything wrong. This is crazy. This has blowed up so bad.” — Parent, Joja Marsh (05:49)
• “Georgia is on the map for tattooing children.” — Host 2 (06:03)

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Tone & Takeaways

The episode alternates between sardonic disbelief and genuine concern, reflecting the show’s signature mix of humor and candid realism. While the hosts are initially lighthearted over the absurdity of their own prank, the true story’s gravity sets in, especially as legal and ethical implications are discussed. The underlying message is a questioning of common sense and societal norms—how what seems preposterous fiction can, unpredictably, become troubling fact.

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For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode offers a striking cautionary tale, as the hosts—through humor and sharp commentary—highlight the sometimes hazy line between outrageous jokes and unthinkable realities. If you’re looking for an engaging discussion on parenting decisions, social media stunts, and the limits of good sense, this is a must-listen Bert Show segment.

Transcript

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Spin Quest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. The Bird Show I gotta run this news piece for you guys here real quickly. If you are a new Birch show listener and you weren't listening. In April, the members of the Birch show, outside of myself, had a great idea for April Fools. I thought it was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. And I wanted to prove a point to them. And their idea was on April Fools to fake pictures of me getting a tattoo on my seven year old. Hayden.

[Host 2]

He was then six, right?

[Host 1]

He was then six at that point.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

And put them up on the Internet and see if we can get a reaction out of everybody, you guys. And I said straight up to them. I'm like, dudes, I've hated. I hate April Fool's jokes. I hate them every year. We don't do them on our listeners. And this one is so over the top and ridiculous that anybody that listens to our show knows that I'm not capable of having my 6 year old get tattooed. It'll never work. So they talked me into it and mostly because I wanted to prove a point that look if we don't get any reaction at all, then you guys stop hounding me to do April Fool's jokes, and we'll never do one. And okay, that's the agreement.

[Host 2]

Nobody, not one person is gonna believe that I tattooed my kid. Not one. You were like, no way. Nobody's gonna believe it. And we're like, yeah, somebody will buy it. Come on, It'll be funny. Ha ha, April fools. You're like, no, nobody's gonna believe it. And I'm only gonna do this to prove to you guys nobody will believe it.

[Host 1]

So I take Hayden on up to a psycho tattoo on Roswell Road, and we fake a whole bunch of pictures. Like, the tattooist goes up there, he takes the tattoo gun and gets close to Hayden, but he's obviously the needle never hit his skin.

[Host 2]

And then Hayden loves being a little actor, too. So he was getting into the role.

[Host 1]

I mean, he's like, tearing up. It's like he sprayed himself with, like, my little mace or something. And he's got, like, tears rolling down his eyes. And the makeup artist that did the tattoo really did a great job on it.

[Host 2]

So just pretending. Pretending, you know, the paint on his arm. And then didn't you say at one point that you really thought Hayden was upset? Yeah, I thought he was like, buddy, we're just kidding. And he looks at you. He goes, dad, I'm acting.

[Host 1]

He just comes out of character, right?

[Host 2]

Like, duh.

[Host 1]

But the pictures did come out really, really well, and I post them on Facebook and we never mention anything about it on the air. And I think we're not going to get any calls. And sure enough, man, somebody calls D fax on me. Somebody bought it. I mean, full on bought it. And defax shows up to my house, and this is no joke. They literally show up to the house and they want to see Hayden not once, but if you guys remember. Twice.

[Host 2]

That's right.

[Host 1]

So I'm not sure we're ever doing an April Fool's Day joke again, but I guess it did work.

[Host 2]

It worked, but it got way too serious.

[Host 1]

And the point was it was so ridiculous that nobody, nobody would tattoo their six year old or their child. Then Melissa Carter has a story yesterday that a couple did this to a couple of their kids.

[Host 2]

What?

[Host 1]

I didn't realize yesterday this was a Georgia couple.

[Host 2]

No way.

[Host 1]

Three kids here in Georgia. And here's the story. Listen to this.

[Interviewee (Parent)]

I don't understand why this has gotten blowed up so big.

[Host 1]

Blowed up.

[Interviewee (Parent)]

You know, I love my children. We'd never do Anything to harm our kids.

[Reporter]

Joja Marsh is proud of the tattoos that her boyfriend put on her arms and legs.

[Interviewee (Parent)]

These were her done with a home again.

[Reporter]

But Chattooga County Sheriff John Everett says Marsh went too far by tattooing her and her boyfriend's children. A 10 year old, two 11 year olds, a 12 year old and a 15 and 17 year old.

[Sheriff John Everett]

We've never seen anything, never heard of anything like this in surrounding counties or anywhere.

[Reporter]

Sheriff Everett says the children were tattooed with a black cross on their hand with a homemade tattoo gun.

[Sheriff John Everett]

This is the device that was used plug it into a normal outlet. This is the ink pen barrel with the guitar string inside it.

[Reporter]

The device is made with a power supply, an electric motor, wiring, an ink pen and a sharpened piece of guitar used as a needle. A vial of black ink was used for coloring. The sheriff says the same needle was used on all six children by Jacob Edward Bartels.

[Interviewee (Parent)]

We have kids from separate marriages. Okay. So I mean I have four and then he has three. But they're all ours. You know, it's like anyway. So I mean they wanted one. So we were like, okay. It was just so. It's a little bitty cross right here. Okay.

[Reporter]

The sheriff learned about the tattoos from the mother of Bartel's children.

[Sheriff John Everett]

The mother picked the two children up and noticed the mark on their hand and she brought it to our investigators attention. And then we went and did the investigation found there were six other children.

[Reporter]

Marsh and Bartel are charged with illegal tattooing, cruelty to children and reckless conduct.

[Interviewee (Parent)]

I don't think we did anything wrong. The kids don't think we did anything wrong. This is crazy. This has blowed up so bad.

[Host 2]

Wow. You've got to be kidding me.

[Host 1]

That is a real story. In fact, I think that's from cnn and this is what we're getting national attention for.

[Host 2]

Georgia is on the map for tattooing children.

[Host 1]

As I was watching it, I'm like, this must be from the Onion or something like this. This can't be a real story.

[Host 2]

It's just such ignorance.

[Host 1]

They had them all, all of them tattooed.

[Host 2]

Ignorance.

[Interviewee (Parent)]

This has blowed up so bad.

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