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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have told my sister she was unprofessional and inappropriate? * [Content warning: concerns baby loss]

258 replies

Girlsonahill · 02/07/2026 23:36

Without being completely outing, part of my sister's job involves going into lots of people's homes. We have a group whatsapp chat with our mum and although not the closest of sisters, generally talk most days get along fine. Today she posted a short video she filmed of a picture someone had up on their wall of their deceased baby and simply captioned "it's dead". This person was unaware she did this. I was horrified. gently told her I thought it was inappropriate and really unprofessional and I got a barrage of abuse back saying I was being judgemental and did I think I was the moral police. My mum said nothing presumably to keep the peace. She has form for being unable to accept any type of criticism but now I'm left feeling like I'm in the wrong and shouldn't have said anything. AIBU?

OP posts:
godmum56 · 03/07/2026 10:18

Girlsonahill · 03/07/2026 00:13

No. She is not autistic. The baby in the photo had died, it looked like a newborn. It made me so sad to look at it and think what those parents would feel if they knew what she had done

It actually doesn't matter what the photo was of. Its a breach of confidentiality and she should be dumped in the shit for doing it. I am not sure about the next bit but its possible that the people in your chat could get into trouble for receiving and presumably retaining the image. Do be careful OP.
Additionally, it doesn't matter about who took the image and it doesn't matter about "nurse dark humour" a breach is a breach.

LondonLass2026 · 03/07/2026 10:16

Autism is no excuse if that's the case. Stop using it as an excuse!

No, she's just disgusting. Can you report her?

MNLurker1345 · 03/07/2026 10:08

A PP guessed rightly that she was an estate agent. There must be other estate agents on here, if so have you ever known colleagues to do this kind of thing?

tara66 · 03/07/2026 10:07

She is completely unsuited to her job. No doubt she will have been instructed as to how to behave in such cases. Her employer should be informed and she should be sacked. She is also a v. nasty person. She may also be breaking the law re. posting pictures of child.

Speakeasier · 03/07/2026 10:06

Girlsonahill · 03/07/2026 10:00

To those saying send her this thread. I'm more than happy enough to do this, but I honestly think she would a.) laugh and b.) quite enjoy the attention

In that case do the one thing she’d hate: give her less attention. Grey rock her when you see her. Don’t go out of your way to message her. Don’t arrange to see her for a while. Be less interested in what she has to say or what she’s up to.

TBH I’d have to do that because I’d struggle to look her in the eye ATM.

Girlsonahill · 03/07/2026 10:00

To those saying send her this thread. I'm more than happy enough to do this, but I honestly think she would a.) laugh and b.) quite enjoy the attention

OP posts:
nomas · 03/07/2026 09:59

Cheeseandolivesplease · 03/07/2026 00:08

@Watchoutfortheslowaraf I understand that. But what I am saying is re the "dead baby" comment. My brother is autistic. As a younger man he didn't really understand the "gravity" of death as a concept. And he also didn't understand the difference between sleeping and having passed away. As a child he would say sleeping dogs on a greetings card, for example, had "died."
I am unsure if the OP meant the baby had already passed when the photo was taken. To me, and having lost pregnancies myself, that is a beautiful and fitting tribute. But my brother may not understand this in the same way and might well think it a bit "unusual" for want of a better way of putting it.

This is just arguing for the sake of it.

Why can’t people put the wronged side first for once.

Mygardenshedisfallingdown · 03/07/2026 09:58

I would report this and send the evidence to her employers. She could lose her job, family might blow, up so what ?
She's a disgusting piece of shit.

rolloverbeethoven · 03/07/2026 09:58

She has no children. Yes, I think we could have guessed this.

Speakeasier · 03/07/2026 09:58

Girlsonahill · 03/07/2026 09:51

Didn't really want to say her occupation but I need to add to the context. She's a self employed estate agent. So she does technically have permission at certain points during the selling journey, to photograph people's homes. However, I don't think personal photos of people's stillborn babies are included in this. I don't want to report her to anyone, I know morally I should, but she is my sister and it would cause a huge rift in the family. I am disgusted at her and have thought for a long time she has a lot of narsaccistic traits. But I don't want to tear the family apart over this. I just really wanted some clarification that I was correct to address it with her, as she made me feel like she was the victim

This is classic DARVO OP if you haven’t heard of it (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender). So when she’s criticised she turns it back on the other person. It is consistent with people with narcissistic traits. It’s done partly so they don’t feel the shame of having done the bad thing and pass it onto the other person and partly to train them not to criticise them again.

Wishimaywishimight · 03/07/2026 09:57

Your sister is a vile excuse for a human. I wouldn't be "gently" telling her anything. I would be telling her how utterly disgusting and callous a person she is to refer to a deceased child in that manner. I would find it hard not to feel anything but contempt for her going forward.

PeachySmile2 · 03/07/2026 09:55

Girlsonahill · 03/07/2026 09:51

Didn't really want to say her occupation but I need to add to the context. She's a self employed estate agent. So she does technically have permission at certain points during the selling journey, to photograph people's homes. However, I don't think personal photos of people's stillborn babies are included in this. I don't want to report her to anyone, I know morally I should, but she is my sister and it would cause a huge rift in the family. I am disgusted at her and have thought for a long time she has a lot of narsaccistic traits. But I don't want to tear the family apart over this. I just really wanted some clarification that I was correct to address it with her, as she made me feel like she was the victim

Your sister is the lowest of the low. Mocking a deceased baby. You probably won’t, but should show her this thread. Though by the sounds of her she will still think she has done nothing wrong.

Girlsonahill · 03/07/2026 09:54

Maray1967 · 03/07/2026 09:30

Is your mum a similar age to me? 50s/60s? I’d like to tell her that she needs to speak very firmly to her daughter and do some sadly overdue parenting. If my DS26 behaved like this I would be horrified. He would be in no doubt that I was disgusted by his behaviour.

My mum is in her 60s. We are both in our 30s. She has no children

OP posts:
Happyjoe · 03/07/2026 09:53

Nasty, intrusive and totally unacceptable. She's a guest in their home, she's crossed a line and in such bad taste. It's also illegal to photograph things in a private place and stick online. Am pretty sure home owners would not have consented. She had better be careful she doesn't put it anywhere else.
She doesn't like being pulled up on bad behaviour eh? That's her issue.

Scout2016 · 03/07/2026 09:52

That's horrible OP. She shouldn't be taking or sending any photos. No decency and I'd feel the urge to distance myself from her.

Edit after your update - the permissions given for photos to be taken is for the purposes of selling the house, and to be stored and shared for only related things. She doesn't have consent to share and use as she has and it's a huge breach of trust.

Girlsonahill · 03/07/2026 09:51

Didn't really want to say her occupation but I need to add to the context. She's a self employed estate agent. So she does technically have permission at certain points during the selling journey, to photograph people's homes. However, I don't think personal photos of people's stillborn babies are included in this. I don't want to report her to anyone, I know morally I should, but she is my sister and it would cause a huge rift in the family. I am disgusted at her and have thought for a long time she has a lot of narsaccistic traits. But I don't want to tear the family apart over this. I just really wanted some clarification that I was correct to address it with her, as she made me feel like she was the victim

OP posts:
Pearshapedpear · 03/07/2026 09:51

Don't know why you felt the need to ‘gently’ tell her…. What she did was appalling.

M4trafficisfunnot · 03/07/2026 09:50

Girlsonahill · 03/07/2026 08:27

She sends a lot of videos of different things from inside people's homes. She usually sends harmless videos/photos to us saying how dirty this is etc but I feel like this crossed a line

Omg 😦 she’s a vile person isn’t she. Who made her the Judge?

Maybe go to her house and when she isn’t watching film around the worse bits of her house and put them on the chat! I’m sure you will be outraged!

Switcher · 03/07/2026 09:50

Your sister's complete lack of boundaries or basic empathy will catch up with her at some point.

mulberrymilk · 03/07/2026 09:49

JaneIves · 03/07/2026 01:06

But why did she video? What is the context here? I can’t fathom a situation where it would be even relevant.

To mock them.

MNLurker1345 · 03/07/2026 09:48

OverOrUnderprotective · 03/07/2026 09:47

It's obviously highly unprofessional and unethical as well (as is sending pics of people's dirty homes) but is it possible that she was heart broken and upset for her client and wanted to share that with her family? She still shouldn't have done that or course but I just can't think of any other reason why someone would do that?

What with the caption “it’s dead”?

M4trafficisfunnot · 03/07/2026 09:48

Error404FucksNotFound · 02/07/2026 23:41

Your sister should be reported to her employer.

This and I would screenshot and pass it direct to the employer. I would stake our relationship on it - that a total invasion of privacy the fact she didn’t immediately delete it when challenged speaks volumes

OverOrUnderprotective · 03/07/2026 09:47

It's obviously highly unprofessional and unethical as well (as is sending pics of people's dirty homes) but is it possible that she was heart broken and upset for her client and wanted to share that with her family? She still shouldn't have done that or course but I just can't think of any other reason why someone would do that?

Sortingmyself · 03/07/2026 09:47

I mean sending videos of dirty houses etc is already bad enough but to send a picture/video of someone's dead baby is jaw dropping and utterly appalling.

Send your sister a link to this thread so she knows just how wrong she's been.

MNLurker1345 · 03/07/2026 09:46

TheNavyReader · 03/07/2026 09:39

None of this is harmless ,its a gross misconduct situation.
I've been in some awful houses and I would never even say to anyone what I saw .
Tbh I would be just coming out of this group chat because your condoning this nasty side of your sister by participating in recieving these videos.
If I was your sisters employer, I would be doing everything to get her sacked once this comes to light .

I agree with this. It needs to stop and you are the only one who can stop this. You either have a real face to face with both her and the family or you report her. Or both!

I have worked in the NHS and confidentiality and dignity are fundamental to the service. I don’t know about others but there are things I saw and experienced that I have never and will never speak about to anyone.

A deceased baby and the families grief have been exploited here. How dare she!