Lawrence Crook, the son of 73-year-old murder victim Odessa Carey, is urging people to stop creating TikTok videos about his mother’s case. Carey was killed in 2019 by her mentally ill daughter, who has the same name. The murder involved decapitation and the victim being covered in sheets, as stated in a judiciary report aimed at preventing future deaths.
A review into the incident revealed multiple failures by the agencies responsible for the care of Carey’s daughter, who had a long history of mental health problems. The review highlighted numerous warning signs indicating that Carey was at risk of harm from her daughter, including threats and animal abuse. The report also noted that Carey’s pleas for help and fear were not adequately addressed.
Carey’s daughter was found responsible for the killing in court and subsequently diagnosed with schizophrenia. She received a hospital order as her sentence.
Lawrence Crook expressed his frustration with the insensitive TikTok videos in a recent interview. He emphasized that the creators of these videos lack understanding of the impact on the real families affected by such tragedies. Crook also called for stricter regulation on the platform.
TikTok’s terms of service prohibit content that is gory, gruesome, disturbing, or extremely violent. However, true crime content, including descriptions of cases and deaths, is generally allowed. The platform encourages users to report problematic content and promotes kindness and respect among its community.
