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The lawyer for a Tennessee woman accused of allowing her 5-year-old daughter to wax naked adults says the criminal case against his client should be dismissed.
The lawyer said that “questionable parenting” is not a crime. The case centers on Jasmine Moss, an aesthetician whose social media post in 2024 sparked outrage. Following this, a joint investigation was held by Memphis police and the Department of Children Services (DCS). The now-deleted post appeared to show Moss’s young daughter helping her wax nude adult clients at Moss’s home-based business. In the post, Moss openly described the child’s involvement in her workday.
“She literally helped me wax 24 clients starting from 7.25-5 pm,” Moss wrote, according to Action 5 News. “She made a total of $744 and I’m going to put the money toward whatever her future dreams and aspirations are," the post stated.
Following the post, Moss was charged with child neglect and child abuse, according to court documents obtained by WREG.
Moss’s attorney, Blake Ballin, said the actions shown in the post may reflect poor judgment but do not rise to the level of a criminal offense, according to The Independent report.
“Certainly some questionable parenting… but does that amount to a crime?” Ballin told WREG. “Our position is that it does not," Ballin added.
Ballin also pointed to the outcome of the child welfare investigation, saying that Moss’s daughter remains in her care. “The DCS investigated this, and the child is still in Ms Moss’s custody,” he said.
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The lawyer said that Moss has already taken steps to correct her mistake and should not face criminal punishment.
“We’re just hopeful that the prosecutor knows what they have is someone who made a mistake, who has remedied that mistake, and the criminal justice system does not need to be involved,” Ballin added.
Authorities have not publicly detailed what changes Moss may have made since the investigation began.
Under Tennessee state law, aestheticians must be at least 16 years old and complete 750 hours of coursework at a licensed cosmetology school. They must also pass written and practical exams and renew their licenses every two years.
Moss’s business, Jazzy Body LLC, was operated out of her home in Westwood, according to state records reviewed by Action 5 News. Her attorney said potential licensing violations are also under review.
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“It’s an unusual case,” Ballin admitted to WREG. “It’s a little complicated because there’s a DCS investigation, and there are some licensing issues with Moss with the cosmetology board. So, we’ll need some time to investigate that,” he added.
Ballin said those issues could affect how the case moves forward. He said that none automatically justify criminal charges related to child abuse.
Moss is scheduled to appear in court next on July 16, according to legal documents obtained by WREG. Prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they plan to move forward with the case or dismiss the charges.
