Disturbing Video Opens Child Abuse Investigation In Baltimore County

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Authorities say they are investigating a possible case of child abuse following the release of a video on social media this week from the Essex-Middle River area. The video shows a woman slapping two children and threatening to beat them to death. Note: It may be too graphic and disturbing for some viewers.

The woman in the video was questioned by police, according to Elise Armacost, director of public affairs for the Baltimore County Police Department. As of Friday morning, she told Patch no charges have been filed.

The Department of Social Services has taken over the care of the children, police reported.

Detectives in the Crimes Against Children Unit are investigating the household and the video, which was viewed more than 50,000 times on Facebook in a day. The man who shared the video late Wednesday on Facebook said he did so after the woman under investigation texted it to him, according to ABC 2 News.

It is not the first time that the family has been in the media spotlight.

The parents reportedly appeared on the Steve Wilkos show in 2012. The host, a former security guard for Jerry Springer, said a case was immediately opened with child protective services following the show's taping.

On air, Wilkos said he thought it was necessary to move the children to a "safe environment, which would be anywhere but with [those] two" parents, including the father, who said on the show that he had locked his daughter in a dryer.

The investigation that began this week was sparked by the recent video that surfaced on Facebook, police said.

Get more information about reporting child abuse from the state of Maryland.

File photo.