Rachael Bellamy Under Fire For Posting Video She Claims Was ‘Child Abuse’: Others Aren’t So Sure

Rachael Bellamy thought she was doing a good deed when she pulled out her phone and recorded a situation that she felt was “child abuse” inside of a restaurant.

But after she posted the video on Facebook, many have come out against what she did, including police in Grand Prairie, Texas.

The alleged “child abuse” occurred when a woman at a table next to Bellamy’s appeared to force her child to eat his food.

The news video below via CBS DFW blurs the faces, so there are telltale facial expressions and audio indiscernible for conveying a clear judgment call, but Grand Prairie Police have said that the matter is “under investigation” and that they are still trying to determine whether any actual wrongdoing on the part of the parent has occurred.

For Rachael Bellamy, however, it was a clear case of child abuse. First, the parent “smushed” the baby’s cheeks together and then pushed the child’s head down toward his plate.

And for now, that’s about the extent of what is known publicly.

If Grand Prairie Police cannot find evidence of abuse, it’s still possible they will turn the video over to Child Protective Services for further investigation.

But for now, they are warning others against social media shaming to the extent that Rachael Bellamy has engaged in it.

“We would encourage people not to report crimes, especially in progress in this case, through a social media platform,” said Grand Prairie police spokesperson Lyle Gensler. “It kind of could ruin our investigation once we start looking into it.”

Particularly, it could give the person responsible a warning to hide evidence or “disappear.”

“If some sort of device was used in the course of the crime, they could destroy that,” he added.

https://youtu.be/zhkiqq4OyQU

Bellamy, for her part, doesn’t regret what she did and noted that it was never about “social media shaming.” She just wanted attention on the situation so that the child would not have to suffer.

Social media offered a quick experience for getting the word out — apparently quicker than calling the police or 911 — and since she “didn’t feel comfortable” confronting the woman, she opted for that path.

“It’s the quickest way to get results and to spread any sort of message or get any kind of help you need,” she claimed.

What do you think about her decision to social media shame the woman? Was this a better choice than calling 911, or did Rachael Bellamy do more harm than good?

[Image via YouTube screen grab]