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AIBU?

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Original poster

*Trigger Warning* AIBU to not understand how this YouTuber isn't being investigated for child abuse?

588 replies

milkmilklemonade12 · 18/04/2017 18:19

So I actually found out about this channel via another large forum I post on. Essentially, a YouTube channel which is called DaddyOFive (it's reasonably large, around three quarters of a million subscribers) centres around a blog made by the father, with 5 children. The upshot of it is, people were angry about how the family, lead by the father; bully one of their children Cody, and pass it off as just 'good old fashioned parenting!'

At first until I checked out the videos I honestly thought it couldn't be that bad. I was horribly wrong. Some of the videos are entitled:
Dad burns Cody's Pokemon cards
Dad destroys son's DS
Dad forces son to throw away his toys
I'm sending Cody to military school

In their most recent video, because Cody had been bad (smeared poop on the walls; a recognised sign of abuse and distress), they took all the other kids to DisneyLand.

These videos are horrific, and despite them being located in the US, I really feel like CPS should be investigating and YouTube should shut the channel down for child abuse.

If you can bear to watch the videos, the guy's name is DaddyOFive, and I'd urge you to take a few minutes and report their videos for child abuse. I really don't understand how in this day and age, this kind of thing isn't investigated more quickly. The child is sobbing, and regularly in horrendous distress at the bullying at the hands of his parents and siblings, so these videos could trigger people; that's why I haven't directly linked them and why I've placed a warning on the top of my post.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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user1492528619 · 19/04/2017 23:19

I have sent an extensive email to Maryland Social services and linked a number of videos, praying to God there will be some kind of interventions.

Fucking sick bastards.

Children cannot consent to this absolutely awful stuff, that's why they're bloody children.

FairytalesAreBullshit · 19/04/2017 23:24

Do you think it's a cultural thing of what is normal in America verses the U.K.

Plus this massive shit storm, it's all about Cody, have people stopped to consider how fucking shit he's going to feel seeing his parents torn apart?

Hands up the way Cody is treated makes me unconfortable, but seeing Heather Martin sobbing on Twitter makes me also feel rather Confused I can't describe it. But then at the end she says get the normal camera, is fine for the Keemstar DramaAlert video / YouTube Video.

As per the latest video, the first thing addressed is how it's fake, acted out, scared of losing viewers.

I'm so torn because I've watched a lot of videos, I've seen horrific comments from fans like take the belt to Cody, which is liked 4/5 times. You get the feeling you kind of know them from watching what you do.

So to think the kids are upset, the parents are upset. Will the kids turn on Cody because if he didn't have this ODD then he wouldn't be treated (in their eyes) how he has been.

The children get in from school and immediately have to give report cards to their parents. Cody is usually the one with a bad report, so the outcome is pretty samey. But then you learn from his Mum he was medicated to his eyeballs because there IS a problem.

Surely the fact there IS a problem, means regular parenting methods go out the window. As I'm sure parents on here with children who have ADHD & ASD don't parent the same way as the children who don't.

kikicrystalripple · 19/04/2017 23:29

It's started with TV reality shows and has moved into the realms of YouTube The likes of Katie price have been doing it for years - exploiting her children for money,

I'm actually stunned at something like this from you Wannabe - you're a long term poster whose opinion, in the main, I've generally agreed with.

You are so far leftfield with your opinion on this it's actually quite worrying.

There is absolutely NO comparison with Katie Price and this vile piece of work's parenting. Yes, she may have put her kids in a media spotlight but to bring her into this as a comparison with this daddyofive? Disgusting.

Debate her morals (thought I think she really won't care what some random on some website thinks) but to lump her in with someone like this child abuser who seems to love humiliating his kids? Pffft.

kikicrystalripple · 19/04/2017 23:35

and a thanks to the OP for highlighting this - reported too and hope those children are free from the scum parents soon x

JessKM · 19/04/2017 23:46

fairytales you're sure parents of children with ADHD parent differently.

I can't decide whether youre attempting to justify abusing kids with additional needs or just this specific child, Cody Hmm

Oh he's medicated for his behaviour? Beat the shit out of him, crack on!

I've not got a child with these issues, maybe I can't empathise fully, but I'm pretty sure parents on here who do have these conditions think this is just as appalling and disgusting as those of us who don't!!!!!

JessKM · 19/04/2017 23:58

Twitter is still buzzing away. Someone has noticed this still in a video of their punishment chart...these seem to be their triggers. Notice only Cody and Emma are on the punishment chart

*Trigger Warning* AIBU to not understand how this YouTuber isn't being investigated for child abuse?
FairytalesAreBullshit · 20/04/2017 00:28

No what I mean is if you have a child with additional needs, you have to adapt what you do, I smother my DC in love regardless, but say they had extra needs, you would be more empathetic and supportive, over using a weakness against them.

HalfShellHero · 20/04/2017 00:40

Jess KM that chart is so Shock should hopefully raise a red flag with CPS

NotStoppedAllDay · 20/04/2017 00:45

Have the videos been taken down now? Can't see them

JessKM · 20/04/2017 00:50

Yes!!! They're all coming up as unavailable!!! Well done!!! At least this disgrace is off the internet for now

ZilphasHatpin · 20/04/2017 00:51

I wonder what the points equate to in terms of punishment Sad

trashcanjunkie · 20/04/2017 00:53

This might be a stupid question but has anyone who emailed attached any of the footage to their message so cps can see specifics?

Lynnm63 · 20/04/2017 00:54

The dad has made all the videos from YouTube private, I think. It seems despite all his followers a lot of people are horrified by the treatment of Cody and Emma. I saw the one where the dad goads the child to hit his sister. It's a proper slap. I know kids fight and I've slapped my brother when we were that age but I'd have been told off by my parents not encouraged to do it.

He's still doing the poor me bit on twitter.

JessKM · 20/04/2017 00:56

zilpa I thought this too!! What do those numbers mean?

trashcan I uploaded videos and stills screen shots

It appears Cody has an officia diagnosis of ODD - no wonder. They goaded him into reacting for fun.

NotStoppedAllDay · 20/04/2017 00:57

He's a coward then

Nothing to hide or be ashamed of??

Mommyofive still has her channel up, all 6 videos!

Have a look at the gun prank. They could have got someone actually shot, but it's terrifying knowing this loose cannon owns a gun!

ImLizawithaZ · 20/04/2017 00:59

He's put up a new video saying all the other videos were fake/scripted etc and how we're putting his family in danger! Well do a OP for getting the ball rolling, looks like something's been done 're the reporting.

ImLizawithaZ · 20/04/2017 01:02

Well done not well do a.

Codename82 · 20/04/2017 01:20

I'm pretty sure the numbers are the numbers of lines/sentences they have to write. A few of the videos I watched yesterday the kids are forever having to write "sentences" for bad behaviour. For example "I will not tell lies" and they'll have to write it 50x.

FairytalesAreBullshit · 20/04/2017 01:27

Lynn - the slap one was Shock basically they were in Cody's room using his night stand for bottle flipping, if you missed you got a slap. Cody quickly bailed as I'm guessing he thought I get enough shit round here, I don't need to give them any more reasons to attack me.

So Emma plays and loses, I think it's Alex, he's in two minds, Dad you said never hit girls. Something was said by Do5 where basically she's your sister she's exempt from the girl thing. So the lad full force slaps her, she gets upset, Cody goes fucking mental, you don't hit girls. Obviously as they're blood siblings he's quite protective of his older sister. He really does lose it, so Do5 has to intervene.

Whilst Do5 & Cody are out the room, they trash a Valentine's Day card I think it is & something he made. Do5 isn't really sympathetic with his daughter, although he's shocked she was hit so hard. But from what I remember he didn't console her.

I've mentioned the way Jake is with Cody, it's lethal. It's like knowing what buttons to press, then doing whatever the eldest Step Brother can to wind up Cody to near hysteria on occasion.

blubberball · 20/04/2017 06:13

No, he didn't console her when her brother slapped her. He laughed, thought that it was brilliantly funny, and uploaded it to YouTube for all the world to see. Fucking scum.

Now that the videos are unavailable, does this mean they're no longer making money from them?

differentnameforthis · 20/04/2017 07:44

Some family are uploading daily video's of them picking on one of their children Very much more than "picking on"

a child who by all accounts has behavioural issues and has already been removed from his biological mother. If I understand correctly, not removed from his mother. The step mother, Heather (rarely seen in the videos) forged his bio mum's signature on a form that removed her (bio mum's) parental rights.

differentnameforthis · 20/04/2017 08:01

As I'm sure parents on here with children who have ADHD & ASD don't parent the same way as the children who don't. What exactly are you saying? My daughter (8) possibly has ASD (we are waiting for a dx) and severe sensory issues (confirmed and dx'd) and yes, I parent her differently.

Yes I have raised my voice and admittedly yes, once or twice (before we knew what was happening) I told her that I found dealing with her behaviour very difficult (I won't go into the guilt I feel about that one) but I have not resorted to any of this type of behaviour with her. I do not hit her, lie to her, goad her, "prank her" (in fact, we CAN'T prank her as she doesn't realise how pranks work and get very emotional very quickly = meltdown, which would actually be very reminiscent of what Cody does).

I have found that you have to parent gently, considerately and be very aware of their feelings (my dd's feeling are VERY fragile) at the same time as maintaining boundaries and making sure everyone's feeling are respected. My suspicions were always that Cody has some kind of special needs, I have only watched parts of videos that others have taken & used as examples, but to me, he show traits of something other than ODD.

Plus this massive shit storm, it's all about Cody, have people stopped to consider how fucking shit he's going to feel seeing his parents torn apart? How the fuck to you think he feels now? When he gets older he is not going to look back and think how he was treated is funny. He will be asking why didn't anyone help him? For heaven sake, he is ASKING/TELLING/BEGGING them to leave him alone, go away, stop filming...but do they? NO. They carry on.

That is exactly what my friend's goddaughter asked her when she was old enough to understand what happened to her. She asked her "why didn't anyone help me" It is heartbreaking, and putting it on all "how will Cody feel..." is disgusting.

BitOutOfPractice · 20/04/2017 08:39

I have just read this thread with horror. What a pair of utter scumbags

ZilphasHatpin · 20/04/2017 09:00

differentnameforthis very similar situation here with my DS (7) and I totally agree, you learn to parent differently, which for us means more gently, more aware, more considerate of how situations are felt by your child. My son has been a real education to me about how gentle parenting really works. And yes like you I have been frustrated with him at times and lost my temper and shouted. That is nothing at all like what is happening in those videos. They aren't handling Cody, they are using him for their own sick entertainment. Sad Like your DD, my son can't be pranked. He doesn't get it. So it doesn't happen because it upsets him. My 11yo knows this and knows how to play with him differently than with his friends. If my 11yo can get that how can a couple of adults with 5 children not?

BitOutOfPractice · 20/04/2017 09:01

No child, regardless of any issues they have, should be patented like these videos.