Mum speaks out after reaction to cling wrap video
Warning: This article contains disturbing content which some readers may find distressing.
A TikTok influencer said her son was temporarily taken from her home by child protection authorities after she posted a video of her husband pushing the child around while he was swaddled from the neck down in cling wrap.
The mum, Savannah Glembin, who has 1.1 million followers on TikTok, appeared emotional as she announced in a clip that authorities took her son, Gunner, away following the initial video.
“Gunner has been taken from us until CPR can evaluate our home because I posted a video of my husband and son playing," she said.
The video of the incident sparked concern among TikTok users, Gunner, who appears to be about two years old, was tightly wrapped in cling wrap while being moved around by his father, Hank.
Savannah defended their actions in the video, saying it was “just a funny thing Hank did because Gunner was getting into the stove that day and tried putting a fork in a socket”.
Several TikTok users commented how they were left feeling uncomfortable and disturbed by the video, which has since been taken down, with one user @auntkaren0 reposting the video, calling it “feels like abuse”.
At one point the boy is placed standing on the bed before he falls forward onto his knees, unable to move his arms as he’s constrained by the cling wrap.
“He’s a worm”, his father joked.
“If you have a grumpy toddler all day, this is the only way,” the mum is heard saying in the background of the video.
Hank, in military uniform, then proceeded to place Gunner face down on the bed before he was flipped over onto his back.
User @auntkaren0, who reposted the video, also said, “I don’t see what’s funny here. I don’t understand how putting your toddler in an uncomfortable position is funny and then posting it for views.
“Not only did you not just do this for your own entertainment, you thought this was going to be everybody’s entertainment.
“This is why I don’t like family channels like this, because they will go to any length for views.”
Many other TikTok users shared their concern for the child, one comment said, “My anxiety when he fell forward and I was like omg he’s going to suffocate.”
Another comment read, “That gave me anxiety. The feeling of not being able to move! That poor kid.”
A third user said, “That gave me anxiety. The feeling of not being able to move! That poor kid.”
Addressing the initial video, Savannah appeared tearful, saying, “Right now, we're dealing with a situation where Gunner has been taken from us until CPS can evaluate our home because I posted a video of my husband and son playing.
“That video was skewed in a way [that resulted in] people thinking we were abusing our child. But he was laughing and smiling and it was just a funny thing Hank did because Gunner was getting into the stove that day and tried putting a fork in a socket.
“Hank playfully wrapped him in cling wrap - he had room to move. He looked like a little worm, like a little cucumber. He was at no point in distress or crying.
“We would never hurt our son, we would never hurt our child. He is the best thing that's ever happened to us.
“I posted that video two days ago and the response that it had gotten was positive so like I didn't know that someone had thought it was bad until yesterday when cops showed up at our door and separated us, his family.
“We went down and made our statements, thinking Gunner was going to be returned to us that day and that CPS would do their investigation and see that our home is safe.”
“All I can say is that my son is so loved and cherished. He is my miracle baby, he was my fourth pregnancy after three miscarriages, and he's the light of my life.” She added.
“We made a mistake and we don't deserve our child taken away because of it.”
The mumfluencer then posted another TikTok that appeared to show the child was back home in the custody of her and her husband.
Image credit: TikTok