Ogden police say they are investigating a social media influencer after receiving multiple calls from concerned TikTok viewers who reported that her viral videos suggested mistreatment of her toddler son.
Hannah Hiatt received flack on TikTok and Instagram for the videos — including one where the child was seen flinching. But in a TikTok video posted Nov. 29, Hiatt said her toddler’s reaction was him “just playing” and denied any wrongdoing.
Ogden Police Lt. Will Farr said Thursday that no arrests have been made, and no updates had been posted by Friday afternoon on the department’s Facebook account. A report had “been filed” and “sent to detectives to investigate,” Farr said, adding that no other information is available.
Hiatt posts under the handle @hannah_bhiatt, after recently switching from her previous handle, @nursehannahbh.
Described on her TikTok profile as a long-term care travel nurse, Hiatt boasts a following of more than 400,000 TikTok users. One of her most viral videos, where the 25-year-old “momfluencer” talks about leaving 17 dirty diapers scattered around her house, garnered more than 20 million views since it posted on Oct. 5.
Another TikTok post, which has since been deleted, featured her 2-year-old son — and led viewers to tip Ogden police and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services. In the video, shot at a supermarket, the toddler is seen flinching as the hand of Hiatt’s husband, Braxton Hiatt, nears his face.
Efforts to contact Hiatt have been unsuccessful. In her Nov. 29 post, Hiatt acknowledged the “video that you guys are all freaking out about.”
“They’re just playing. They’re always playing,” said Hiatt of her husband and son’s interactions. She added, “Nothing’s going on. I promise.”
In a statement this week, DCFS said it will “continue its practice” under Utah law of not sharing specific case information or confirming its “involvement with a family.”
“[DCFS] works with children and families during some of their most vulnerable moments,” the statement read. “DCFS respects that each child and family has a right to privacy and remains firm in our commitment to that privacy for the children and families of Utah.”
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, DCFS advised that you call the department’s 24/7 abuse and neglect hotline at 855-323-3237 — or call local police.
