Everyone needs a roof over their head. For many people, trying to find a good, safe place to live can be challenging for a lot of reasons. A couple in Russia are being blasted for allegedly tattooing their toddler in an attempt to win a contest. Mellstroy, a popular TikToker, proclaimed that he would give an apartment to whoever came up with the craziest prank. Now, the parents are speaking out, saying they’re shocked anyone believed they would do such a thing. But in this day and age, it’s impossible to know what parents wouldn’t do to their kids.
The U.S. Sun reported on the disturbing video that went viral on social media. Because of the “distressing nature” of the video, the outlet chose not to share it. According to the newspaper, the 1-year-old’s parents seem to be tattooing the phrase “Mellstroy-Game” on his arm. The little boy can be heard crying the entire time.
Apparently, Russian TikToker Mellstroy announced a promise to give away an apartment to people who made the most outrageous videos to promote his online casino. The desperate parents thought the video would give them a leg up on the competition.
“We’ve been living in rented accommodation for three years now and can’t afford to buy a flat,” the mom said in the video via LadBible. “We’re up to our ears in debt. We’d love to win this competition.”
Backlash against the pair came immediately, with many people expressing outrage they would do such a shocking and permanent thing. Russian internet monitor Ekaterina Mizulina urged that a criminal investigation against the parents be opened. She also slammed Mellstroy for creating the contest.
“The bottom has been reached,” she said, per the Sun. “The tattoo may not be real, but the baby is crying throughout the entire video. We will forward the materials to the Investigative Committee.” She went on to call the streamer a “hooligan,” sharing the wild things she’d seen people do to get attention, including property damage.
“It’s only going to get worse — the videos are becoming more brutal and absurd with each passing day,” she warned.
Their reactions forced the parents to quickly reveal that the tattoo was simply a prank. “We didn’t tattoo the child. We pretended to do it,” the mom said via Russian outlet Izvestia. She seemed genuinely surprised that people believed the video was real.
“I didn’t think people would believe it, because it was a one-year-old, not 18 or 20,” she shared. “Adults can handle the pain, but a child couldn’t, especially since their skin is soft.”
The mom went on to explain that the tattoo was done with a black gel pen. “We didn’t use a tattoo machine, and we removed the needles from the cartridge.”
In response to the absolutely wild video, Mellstroy spoke out, condemning the parents for doing such a thing. “I would like to ask you not to use young children in the challenge, as it looks ridiculous, to say the least, and is absolutely morally wrong,” he said. According to the Sun, it is unknown if a criminal investigation has been launched since the parents confessed.
