7-Year-Olds' Kiss Investigated by Deputies

An peck on the lips between two 7-year-old children at a Bradenton elementary school raised someone’s eyebrows enough that the person who witnessed the act called on Manatee County deputies to investigate.

The smooch is documented in a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office incident report that is heavily redacted to protect the children’s identities. While the report does not name the school in question, the children or the person who filed the complaint, it does say the kiss took place within Bradenton on April 21.

The incident was reported on April 22 and Deputy April Culbreath found herself tasked with investigating. It seems Culbreath, who spoke with the children’s teacher, uncovered no evidence to support levying a lewd and lascivious behavior charge against two 7-year-olds.

“There is no indication that there was anything sexual about this incident and there is no evidence to support a violation of FSS (Florida State Statutes) in this case,” she wrote. “This case should be closed unfounded.”

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It indeed was, and that’s a good thing for the 7-year-olds. A lewd and lascivious act committed by a minor in the state of Florida is considered a third-degree felony, according to state statutes.

While the sheriff’s office has closed the books on the in-class kissers, their story has since gone viral.

Patch file photo

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