Fair Photo Flap
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Updated: 7:29 PM Aug 11, 2010
Fair Photo Flap
A 2nd grader brings home a business card from the Jackson County Fair and his mother realizes her photo is on the card.
Posted: 6:25 PM Aug 11, 2010
Reporter: Jamie Edmonds
Email Address: jamie.edmonds@wilx.com
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All seven-year-old Kree Klahn wanted to do Tuesday at the Jackson county fair, was get his face painted.

"He sat down and when he was done, he was handed a business card," Kree's mom, Elizabeth Connell, said.

The card promoted the photographer's black light photography business, but it ended up revealing a whole lot more.

"When he got home, he showed me the business card and asked me if it was me?" Connell said. "When I saw it, I about hit the floor. It was definitely me."

The picture on the card was indeed his mother Elizabeth Connell at 19-years-old, material proof of what she calls a 'big mistake.'

"I was 19 and I got some black light photography done with me and a couple girl friends," she said.

But those pictures were never supposed to be seen again. Connell said she signed a contract with the photographer saying so, which is why she's doubly upset.

"I have a family, I live in this community," Connell said. "Who else has seen this?"

We went to the photographers house in Concord Wednesday. No one answered the door, but Douglas Keeslar did call us back.

He said he and Connell had an agreement that if the picture was unrecognizable he was allowed to use it. He also said he never handed out cards with objectionable pictures on them to kids at the fair, and doesn't know how the boy got one.

The Operations Manager of the fair declined to go on camera, but said part of the photographer's business goes against the family theme of the fair, which is why she asked him to leave and not return.

Connell said it gives her some relief that her pictures are no longer at the fair, but she worries where else they may be, and who else might see them.

"I'm on the web site, and I'm on his business cards, so he's probably been passing them around since I've gotten them done," she said.

Douglas Keesler tells News Ten he did not break any rules, and never meant to hurt anyone. He said he plans to take the pictures down off the web site.

Connell tells us she is looking into what her legal options may be.