When Gini Tocci saw the picture of the seemingly extremely over-tanned Newark, N.J., mother who allegedly had her 5-year-old daughter indoor tan, the first thing that she said was, “Oh, my God!

“I was like in shock. I stopped in my tracks in front of the television and thought, ‘What is she doing to herself? Why would she let herself get that dark?’ That just didn’t look normal,” said Ms. Tocci, owner of Sun in the City tanning salon on Central Street in Leominster. “Tanning in moderation is what we’re all taught. I’ve never seen anyone that bad.”

The Associated Press reported that Patricia Krentcil was arraigned in court Wednesday on a charge of child endangerment, after her daughter allegedly told school officials after complaining of itching that she had been to a tanning salon with her mother. The mother and employees of the salon, however, deny that the daughter was allowed in a tanning booth.

Most Central Massachusetts tanning salon owners contacted for this story said if Ms. Krentcil did allow her daughter to tan in the salon, it would constitute poor judgment in terms of parenting. But, Arthur C. Demma, owner of four Caribbean Tanning and Cruise Centers in Webster, Dudley, Sturbridge and Putnam, said it’s illegal, unsafe and he wouldn’t

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