PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Port Arthur Police and Child Protective Services are both investigating a 25-year-old Port Arthur man because of a viral TikTok video.
The man is accused of using a baby to brush the snow off a car earlier this week, during the winter storm that swept through Southeast Texas.
Police now believe this constitutes child endangerment. Port Arthur Police Chief Tim Duriso tells 12News they aren’t releasing the man’s name, but the chief expects an arrest warrant to be issued next week through the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office.
Port Arthur police say the shocking recording of a video taken from TikTok shows a 25-year-old man using a baby to remove snow from his Hyundai Elantra.
“We confirmed that it was a three-month-old baby,” said Duriso.
Duriso tells 12News it happened Tuesday at the O.W. Collins Elderly Apartments in the midst of the winter storm.
“It’s a sad situation. I know a lot of people go to social media and they are looking for clicks… but this is not a a deal where you should put a baby on the windshield,” Duriso said.
Duriso says police were tipped off about the video and showed up the same day to question the man and check on the baby.
“He had two other females with him at the time. We suspect one of them was the mom. They checked on the baby. The baby was just fine,” said Duriso.
12News was pointed in the direction of the man’s apartment, but there was no answer when we knocked on the door.
Duriso says investigators are still looking into the man’s criminal history, but he’s expected to be charged with child endangerment.
As far as Duriso knows, the baby is still with the parents. The man could be arrested as early as next week.
A CPS spokesperson confirms they’re also investigating the incident, but can’t release any more information at this time.
Editor’s note: The man’s photo is blurred because at this time, he’s not been charged with a crime