Horrifying moment mother restrains terrified three-year-old while boy is given a TATTOO

PUBLISHED: 11:24 EST, 28 January 2013 | UPDATED: 15:58 EST, 28 January 2013

A shocking video emerged today that shows a mother holding down her screaming toddler while he is apparently given a tattoo.

The woman was caught on camera restraining her young son while the boy, believed to be three-years-old, screams in agony as the needle is stuck into his arm.

At one point, she is heard saying 'look, look' in Spanish as her child tries desperately to escape her clutches.

Scroll down for video

Sickening: A mother holds down her toddler son as he screams in agony while being given a tattoo

Terrified: The boy, believed to be three, writhes in agony as the tattoo needle is stuck in his arm

Hardcore dance music is heard playing in the background.

Footage of the incident, thought to have taken place in Havana, Cuba, was posted online over the weekend, according to the The Sun.

Mail Online readers reacted with anger and horror to the clip.

More...

Lisa, in New Haven, wrote: 'This is clearly cruelty, and if it were the US, the parents would be brought up on abuse charges. What the hell is wrong with these people?'

And Claire, from Great Britain, wrote: 'I don't know if I can bring myself to watch that video... just horrifying... how? How could anyone do this to any child let alone their own? She should be jailed for child abuse. It makes me angry enough when I see babies with their ears pierced but this! And I'm someone who loves tattoos and has had many piercings myself!'

Meanwhile, Radhikatw, in London, simply said: 'Disgusting.'

It is not clear from the video what the tattoo was.

Viewers reacted with outrage after this footage was posted online

Play Video

Loading video...

Add your comments

Comments (563)

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

View all

I remeber my sons crying when holding them for injections. Painful, even when you think it is in their interests.

- peter , milton keynes, United Kingdom, 29/1/2013 14:33

Click to rate Rating 10

for those of you comparing this to circumcision. for one its done for health benifits not just religion and tattoos are an adults choice to change the way they appear and should remain just for adults

- fred89 , london, United Kingdom, 29/1/2013 14:03

Click to rate Rating 15

So, what is so bad about this...? There are starving children in 3rd world countries the same age with tattoos... STARVING!!! lol

- kejaza , edmonton, Canada, 29/1/2013 13:54

Click to rate Rating 71

hmmm, so what is the big deal here? There are starving children in Africa the same age with tattoos... STARVING!!!

- kejaza , edmonton, Canada, 29/1/2013 13:48

Click to rate Rating 61

is there no way that'll she bought up on charges for it?

- Jilly SB , London, United Kingdom, 29/1/2013 13:08

Click to rate Rating 28

its just sick

- Mr Realistic , Ipswich, United Kingdom, 29/1/2013 12:52

Click to rate Rating 43

The idea that a parent would deliberately inflict pain and trauma on a child is beyond my comprehension. Parents are supposed to protect and cherish their children.

- Alan , Woburn Sands, 29/1/2013 12:20

Click to rate Rating 57

look at the baby's face in the last picture where he resigns himself to the fact that the only person that he trusts and knows would never harm him, i.e. his mother, is doing this to him - so sad

- jacqui , cape town, 29/1/2013 12:10

Click to rate Rating 48

"oh right, this is just painfully bad for the boy, but I can't find any difference between this and ear piercing or circumsicing, they're all adult's choices about kid's bodies. so what? - Lespaulx , Reading, 29/1/2013 09:36"... i agree. while this tattooing is terrible, boys can have their sex lives ruined in the name of religion by being circumcised, and end up looking like mini chavs if their parents get their ears pierced!

- Ben , Wolverhampton, 29/1/2013 11:59

Click to rate Rating 4

Someone please tell me how this is different to circumcision. Oh wait, this doesn't impair the child.

- Oxy , CockSuckerVille, 29/1/2013 11:53

Click to rate Rating 12

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.