Dad Shocked After Finding Grown Man Hiding in Public Restroom His Young Daughter Went Into

@iamcoreythomas/Instagram

Most parents want to foster independence in their children. We know the sense of accomplishment children feel when they do things themselves. Still, as their parents, we have to balance our children’s autonomy with our need to protect them from the real dangers in the world.

One father proved the need to be vigilant when his young daughter requested to go to the restroom alone. He had the instinct to follow her and he captured something disturbing on camera.

This dad says his independent daughter wanted to use the restroom alone.

Corey Thomas, a digital creator, was celebrating his daughter’s sixth birthday when she needed to use the restroom. She asked to go alone, but Corey had the instinct to go with her. For whatever reason, he recorded her going into the restroom. When he did, he saw a grown man walking over to dry his hands.

Thomas recorded her walking into the restroom.

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A post shared by Corey Thomas (@iamcoreythomas)

The man looked at Corey and smiled sheepishly before leaving. Corey, still recording, showed the audience that this is the women’s restroom and the men’s restroom is right across from them. Corey then enters the restroom himself to make sure there is no one else in there.

There wasn’t, but Corey used the video as a cautionary tale for social media. “You got to go in with your kids,” he says.

Many commended Corey for recording.

In the caption for the video, Corey wrote: “My daughter told me No she loves her independence and she also knows a man shouldn’t be in the females bathroom. I followed behind her anyway and I’m so grateful i followed my INSTINCT.”

While there were those who questioned Corey’s decision to record, others encouraged him for being a good dad and even potentially saving someone else from a man they labeled as a "predator."

Some thought Thomas should have done more.

“This is why I took my son into the women’s bathroom for years!” one Instagram user wrote. “I didn’t even care if women were offended. My job is to protect. Good job daddy!”

Other people thought he could have done more.

“My question is……why you let him off the hook like that?” one user asked.