When it comes to social media, it’s often known as the highlight reel of people’s lives. With the exception of a few skits and pranks, most of us don’t post the negative aspects of our lives. We don’t share the times we’ve cried ourselves to sleep. We don’t mention the times we didn’t get the job. And we certainly don’t share the dysfunction that may take place in our homes.
When one woman’s son recorded a violent episode with his father and half-sister, he might not have had the intention to share it publicly, but the video made its way to TikTok and brought about some change.
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No child deserves to be spoken to in the manner captured in the clip.
One woman, who calls herself the Vigilante Momma on TikTok, posted a video of her ex verbally and physically abusing his daughter. Her 8-year-old son captured the footage. In the clip, the boy hides in his father’s room while the man screams at the boy’s half-sister.
Children never deserve to be spoken to in this manner but the infraction was so trivial, it makes this behavior that much worse: This father was screaming and berating his daughter for the way she cooked a grilled cheese sandwich.
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This mom later submitted the video as evidence.
At the beginning of the video, the boy hides in the father’s room, with the door closed. Eventually, he opens the door and you can see the disgust on the father’s face and the fear on his daughter’s. As if the tongue lashing weren’t enough, the father strikes the daughter as well, and you can hear her say “Ouch.”
In the caption for the disturbing video, Vigilante Momma writes that this video was included in the report she made to CPS and submitted in court. She also shared that the father admitted to all of the behavior captured on video.
Sadly, too many people had experienced this same type of abuse from parents.
In addition to people sympathizing with these children, there were also testimonies from others who had experienced a parent like this.
“I was this daughter,” one TikTok user wrote, “and it messed me up for life.”
Another woman shared a similar story. “My dad would find a reason to yell or hit me,” she commented. “My mom would just stay quiet. It messed me up & I still find it so hard to love myself. I forgave him but I’ll never forget.”
Another TikToker shared that even though her father was the abusive parent, she believes her mother is also responsible. “This was my entire childhood,” she wrote. “I resent my mother to this day for not saving us from the trauma.”
Vigilante Momma and the girl's mother were granted full custody of their children.
Thankfully, the children in this video had mothers working on their behalf. As a result of the video evidence, Vigilante Momma got full legal custody of her son and the girl’s mother got full legal custody of her as well. “It feels f—ing amazing, let me tell you,” she shared in an update.
The mom is not the only one excited about the new arrangement. When the TikToker told her son about the ruling, she said he cried. She said her daughter is in disbelief.
The court did not order that the visits be supervised, but Vigilante Momma is working to get them supervised in the four weeks before the children start seeing their father again. She concluded the video saying, “We have the babies. They’re safe. They’re home.”
