Sometimes, as parents, we do some weird s**t to make our kids laugh.
From creating a gangster rap version of ‘Baby Shark’ to wearing a Batman mask to pump petrol, our actions don’t always make sense.
But ya know what’s never crossed our minds? Deliberately putting our kids in harm’s way for a laugh. For some reason, that just doesn’t seem funny. Or you know, ethically and morally ok.
Sadly, the same can’t be said for a Florida mother who found out that the world of Facebook – actually scratch that, the world in general – doesn’t find sticking a three-year-old’s head in the toilet and flushing, all that funny.
Caught on camera
Kaitlyn Wolf, a mother of two from Leesburg in Florida hit the headlines earlier this week after a video of her pinning her screaming son’s arms behind his back and FLUSHING his head down the toilet, went viral. Yes, you read that correctly.
The video, which has over 400,000 views and 600 odd comments, was shared by another woman, Misty McCormic, who is believed to be the daughter of Ms Wolf’s boyfriend. She shared the clip publicly with the caption;
“Kaitlyn wolf is mother in video doing this to her child( her other 12 yr son is recording)…. Not one to be petty but this is child abuse in my book and this bitch should be in jail #alexsnewgirl #childabuse #bullshit #dcf #leesburgpolicedepartment
According to Wolf, the video was never meant to be shared publicly (wow, wonder why?). Facebook has allowed the video to remain online, with a warning:
“This video may show violence against a child or a teenager. We haven’t removed it from Facebook because it may help rescue the child in question.”
It has also since been shared on YouTube and other sites. And it’s disturbing, to say the least. Listening to the toddler screaming “no, no, no” as his mother forces his head into a toilet bowl is harrowing. At the end of the clip, another child can be heard saying — “God, that’s mean.”
Police are investigating
So what on earth would possess a mother to do such a thing? Wolf says it’s all just a hilarious prank. Because sticking a child’s head into a water filled toilet and flushing is super, duper funny.
“It sounds like he was hysterically crying but he’s not — he’s laughing at the same time,” she told Orlando news website WKMG. “After the video was done, he goes, ‘Let’s do it again.” So it’s TOTALLY ok guys. He was laughing WHILE crying.
Unsurprisingly, other people have not seen the funny side. At all. The Leesburg Police Department released a statement thanking all the “concerned viewers” who swamped the station with calls about the “disturbing act”. But police reveal that the mother won’t face court over her “bizarre punishment”, despite their recommendations to the Florida State Attorney, because there was only proof of possible mental injury, not physical abuse.
Ms Wolf continues to maintain that she is not an abusive mother and seems bewildered by the backlash which has included threats against her and calls to have her children removed from her care. Can we just reiterate again that this woman flushed a child’s head down a toilet and, more concerning, does not see a problem with her actions. THAT is the really scary part.
Police have asked the Department of Children and Families to monitor the family and make sure the children are safe.
Need something a little bit uplifting to show you how real mums do it? Check out this super sweet post from Jennifer Garner. Now THAT is how you parent.
