A viral TikTok video shows a nanny hurting a toddler after he didn’t want to eat.
The mom of the child, Laura Oglesby, or @theartjunkie on TikTok, pulled the video from her home’s security camera system and posted the footage to TikTok. The caption included a disclaimer: “*TRIGGER WARNING* our nanny (LAUREN ROWE) caught on our security camera abusing our son. (New Bern, NC) ***POSTED FOR AWARENESS**#justicefordeclan.”
According to The New Bern Sun Journal, the video shows the nanny, identified as Lauren Rowe, pinning the toddler by his arms and attempting to force-feed the child. The incident reportedly happened on Oct. 26
In the video, the boy screams for help as Rowe holds his wrists behind his high chair. The nanny spoons bites of food into his mouth and keeps his mouth closed with her hand. He later yells, “No!” and shouts for his father, Max.
According to the Sun Journal, authorities arrested Rowe on Oct. 27, and she was charged with misdemeanor child abuse. Max Oglesby told the Sun Journal that his son had bruising on his arm, and that he and his wife wanted the public to see the video.
“We put it out there because if people didn’t know, they would still hire her,” he told the paper. “You don’t expect it to happen to yours. She was recommended to my wife on a Facebook group for New Bern moms. She’s got a check on freaking care.com. I feel like we took the right steps.”
The Sun Journal reported that the New Bern Police Department will review additional footage and that the Oglebys “interviewed the nanny before leaving Rowe with their children, and she knew about the cameras that eventually caught her in the act.”
“She knew that we would be checking in from time to time,” Max Oglesby stated.
Lauren Ogleby also posted follow-up videos about the incident. She also addressed criticism from people who blamed the couple for leaving their son with Rowe.
She also said that the alleged abuse featured in the video was “only a small clip; it continued on.” She said Rowe also shoved the toddler into his room with his blanket.
In one video, Oglesby said Care.com verified Rowe and that she was highly recommended by other parents. It appears the couple was extremely thorough and forthright in informing her about the camera system.
One commenter said, “You literally checked all the boxes. I’d say you did more than a lot of parents do to vet their nannies.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Lauren Oglesby and the New Bern Police for comment.
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