Mom faces charges after buying monkey to help draw autistic son

SOMERSET, Ky. - A Somerset, Ky. woman faces criminal wildlife charges after she bought a monkey to help draw out her autistic son.

The Commonwealth Journal reported Tamela Collins has also been evicted from her rental home after buying a five-week-old monkey from Texas.

Kentucky wildlife officials charged Collins with propagation and holding of wildlife without a permit and tampering with evidence.

Collins said she didn't know it was illegal to bring the primate back to Kentucky without a special permit. The animal has been sent to an out-of-state primate rescue center. She said a Kentucky Fish and Wildlife agent told her the agency wants to have the monkey examines for disease, especially hepatitis-B.

Wildlife agent Jason Estes declined comment to the newspaper.