A father from Port Arthur, Texas, who used his three-month-old baby to wipe snow off his car’s windshield is now being investigated by police after the video went viral.
His identity has remained anonymous; he was only described as a 25-year-old man. The video sparked many concerns online and alarmed an attorney who alerted the police and Child Protective Services.
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The video was posted online
In a now-deleted TikTok video posted on January 21, the man can be seen using the baby as a windshield wiper to get the snow off his Hyundai Elantra.
According to KFDM, this was during the winter storm that hit the area last week.
The video alerted the police
The man uses the infant to remove the snow while laughing in the video.
This alerted the Port Arthur Police Department and Child Protective Services, who are investigating the situation with the father.
It was during a blizzard
According to 12News, the Port Arthur Police Department Chief Tim Duriso said the incident happened during a blizzard in front of the O.W. Collins Elderly Apartments.
In a follow-up statement, Duriso confirmed that the man was the baby’s father.
An attorney alerted them
According to the news outlet, the authorities are trying to figure out what happened with the baby after Cory Crenshaw, a known attorney in Beaumont, shared the disturbing clip with both the Police Department and Child Protective Services.
The man wasn’t the only one there
Upon being questioned by Police Chief Tim Duriso, it was clarified that the man was not the only one present. There were also two other women with him at the time.
“He had two other females with him at the time. We suspect one of them was the mom. They checked on the baby. The baby was just fine,” Duriso said. He also added that the baby is still in the parent’s custody.
They’re looking into criminal history
The Police Chief also said the department is investigating the man’s criminal history. An arrest warrant will most likely be issued for him next week through the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.
“We confirmed that it was a three-month-old baby,” Duriso shared.
Duriso was upset by the situation
The chief said, “It’s a sad situation. I know a lot of people go to social media and they are looking for clicks… but this is not a deal where you should put a baby on the windshield.”
Although the baby doesn’t move much in the video, they can be seen jerking their leg at one point.
People had mixed reactions
By the end of the video, the father picks up the baby, covered in snow, and laughs at the situation.
People online had mixed reactions to the video; some found it alarming, while others thought it was a harmless joke.
Many thought he should be prosecuted
One user wrote, “This is horrible and anybody who thinks this is remotely funny is sick in the head…. Come on now !!! Yall really be doing some crazy ish for likes and views.”
Another one said, “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I seen this idiot do this. He should not be allowed near any child.”
Others felt it was just a joke
While some thought the video was appalling, others believed it was a harmless joke. One person wrote, “It looks like a baby doll. They need to be 100 percent. It truly does not look real.”
Another person also added, “Definitely looks like a doll.” Authorities are still looking into the matter.
