Florida inmate's mugshot goes viral after the internet started making jokes about his neck

You know, a mugshot is never going to be the most flattering photo. Seriously, even the most attractive celebrity you could think of wouldn't look too hot when lit by the stark, halogen bulbs of a jail cell, grimacing as the officers take down the sordid details of their felony. However, every once in a while, there's a mugshot which circulates which makes people sit up and take notice. This is one of them. I'll give you one guess to where this story originates from ... that's right, it's Florida. Where else but the sunshine state could you expect to find a story this weird?

The situation was this: on Thursday, November 15, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office posted the mugshot of a man named Charles Dion McDowell on their official Facebook page. According to the post, McDowell was arrested for possession of meth and coke, and has also been charged with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver the drug. After making a failed attempt to flee police, he was arrested and jailed.

The sheriff's department captioned the image: "Charles Dion McDowell was arrested for Fleeing/Eluding Police with Lights & Sirens Active, Possession of Meth with Intent to Sell/Manufacture/Deliver, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Sell/Manufacture/Deliver Schedule II, Possession of Controlled Substance without a Prescription, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Equipment. McDowell is currently a guest at the GoldStar Hotel with a bond of $57,000. [sic]"

However, Facebook users were immediately struck by one detail in particular: McDowell's huge, thick neck. Now, believe me, I've seen some thick necks before, usually on 'roided out dudes at the gym. But seriously, check that out; it's positively elephantine! This guy must need to buy mile-long neckties for job interviews.

Predictably, social media users wasted no time in making jokes about McDowell's neck, and the image of him quickly went viral as a result. For example, one Facebook user wrote: "Who else came to read all the comments about his “neck”!?! (I)t looks like his head is attached to his thigh!!! [sic]" while someone else added: "You people should be ashamed of yourselves, all this neckativity isn’t right at all," and another person wrote: "They gonna put him in jail and throat away the key."

Thick necks are very common among bodybuilders and athletes, although this appears to be an extreme example. But there are also a number of health causes for this kind of phenomenon. For instance, people who develop Cushing's Syndrome, or hypercortisolism, can often end up with a round face and increased fat around their neck. This condition occurs when the body's tissues are exposed to the hormone cortisol over a long period of time.

However, this disorder is fairly rare; only affecting adults between the ages of 20-50, and are mostly found in people who already suffer from type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. It's unknown whether or not McDowell has this condition, and  I'm not going to stick my neck out and speculate...