Parents Put on Blast For Leaving Baby and 7-Year-Old Unattended to Ride SeaWorld Rollercoaster
May 6 2024, Updated 10:54 a.m. ET
Remember that TV show, What Would You Do? Each week, the ABC reality series hosted by John Quiñones staged wild scenarios featuring actors involved in fake domestic disputes, kidnappings, and other life-changing occurrences. I’m telling you, if you haven’t seen it, it’s a binge-worthy treasure.
Although What Would You Do sadly stopped airing new episodes in September 2020 (because that year didn’t take enough from us??), the show lives on through streaming and, apparently, real-life dilemmas.
On TikTok, one woman documented her “What Would You Do” experience when she discovered an insane act of parenting gone wrong and felt compelled to discuss the negligence online.
Keep reading to see what happened!
A woman exposed parents for leaving their 7-year-old to care for their baby so they could ride a rollercoaster.
Whenever I visit an amusement park, I only have one goal: finding the most popular rollercoaster and getting on it at least twice before I leave! Sure, a funnel cake and other park food will be enjoyed, but the rollercoasters have always captivated me.
I don’t think my love for rollercoasters will go anywhere anytime soon, even when I become a parent. However, unlike the mom and dad in an August 2023 TikTok, I’ll be sure to have someone over the age of ten watching my children should I make the mistake of going to an amusement park with my children.
On Aug. 1, 2023, a TikToker who goes by Crazy Neighbor (@mycrazyneighbori105) on the app posted she and her family were enjoying a day out in Sea World in San Diego, Calif. During her video, Crazy Neighbor posed the question, “What Would You Do?” while showing what she witnessed in real-time.
The mom said she stopped walking around the park when she noticed a “7-9-year-old” child watching a baby who appeared to be one month old in a stroller. Crazy Neighbor shared that the older sister cared for her baby “brother or sister” while her parents were on the Emperor, one of Sea World’s biggest coasters.
Crazy Neighbor claimed the children were unattended for “over 25 minutes” as their parents waited for and eventually boarded the ride. After talking to the young girl, the TikToker approached a SeaWorld employee to inform them of what was going on.
“She should not be watching a 1-month-old baby; she's like seven years old,” Crazy Neighbor told the employee in the video.
With her children beside her, the woman continued standing with the children until their parents’ ride was over. While trying to seal their identity, Crazy Neighbor turned the camera on the child waving to her parents on the ride.
The TikToker explained her reason for posting the parents who left their children alone at SeaWorld.
Underneath her initial three-minute TikTok, Crazy Neighbor received many comments from other TikTokers who became concerned for the children of the coaster-loving adults.
Several parents noted the rising number of kidnappings in public spaces, much like the San Diego SeaWorld. Additionally, parents in the comment section scorned the parents and said they could never imagine leaving their children alone for a few moments, let alone over 25 minutes!
“I can’t even leave my babies to put the cart away after shopping,” one parent said.
“And here I am, a nervous wreck bringing my trash downstairs while my 2.5 yr old stays w my 8 yr old,” noted another concerned guardian.
Many other TikTokers asked Crazy Neighbor to give an update on how the girls' parents reacted when they saw her watching over their daughter. In a separate video, the TikToker shared what went down.
Once they finally got off the ride, the woman posted another clip of her confronting the girl’s mom and dad as they rushed to get their baby. However, the father smiled in the video as Crazy Neighbor stressed the severity of their actions.
“What is wrong with you guys? You don't do that,” the woman said to the parents. “It's not funny.”
The concerned mom also used her second TikTok to address commenters' many concerns. Some users felt Crazy Neighbor was possibly using the ordeal for “attention” and views to her TikTok page. Others scolded her for recording the young girl instead of helping her care for the baby, who they heard crying during most of the video.
In her response, the woman said stepping in and bringing attention to the parents’ actions was necessary. She also said the young girl responsible for her 1-month-old sibling seemed just as “upset” about the situation as she was.
It’s safe to say these parents will probably be taking turns on the Emperor during their next SeaWorld trip!