Mom Filmed ‘Upbeat’ TikTok Dance in Hospital as Her 7-Week-Old Died of ‘Abusive Head Trauma’
Investigators said the mother posted a TikTok video from a hospital bathroom while the child was in the emergency room.
A Washington state mother and father face murder charges after their weeks-old baby died at a hospital from a head injury, that investigators said may have been caused by abuse. Authorities also said the mother posted a TikTok dance video while her son was in the emergency room.
On March 12, prosecutors charged 21-year-old Mark Anthony Labaco Clamor with two counts of second-degree murder, while 19-year-old Alyssa Jade Vanderbeck was charged with one count of second-degree murder.
The judge set bail at $1 million for each defendant. Vanderbeck cried in court during the hearing, according to a video shared by KOMO.
The mother was seen crying in court during the hearing.
Teen Mom Dances in the Bathroom
On March 4, Clamor called 911 to report his 7-week-old baby was not breathing, according to King 5. The child was admitted to a hospital later that day.
Officers with the Lakewood Police Department responded to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma on March 5 after a social worker reported a possible child abuse case involving the infant, identified in court documents as N.C.
Investigators said Vanderbeck posted a TikTok video on March 8 while her child was in the emergency room. Authorities said she appeared to be dancing in a hospital bathroom with music playing in the background.
The infant died on March 9. The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office said the tentative cause of death appeared to be homicide caused by abusive head trauma.
Child Was Handled ‘Roughly’
Investigators said the infant suffered serious injuries, including subdural hemorrhages, anoxic brain injury, retinal hemorrhages, and possible healing rib fractures. A physician who specializes in child abuse intervention said the injuries were consistent with abusive head trauma.
Clamor allegedly told investigators that his son became fussy during a feeding and demonstrated a forward-and-backward “jerking motion.” Investigators said Clamor told them he saw the child’s head “jerk back pretty hard” and later admitted he handled the baby in a way he knew was rough.
Vanderbeck told investigators that when she and Clamor got out of the shower, the baby began making “grunting noises,” appeared unresponsive, and seemed distressed.
She recorded a video and contacted friends and family for advice. In the video, the infant is seen breathing with difficulty, grunting, and at one point appearing to stop breathing.
Investigators said the parents waited between 30 minutes and an hour to call 911 for help, according to the arrest affidavit.
Vanderbeck told detectives that she and Clamor tried to physically stimulate the baby, including shaking him in a panic. When investigators asked whether that may have worsened the child’s condition, she reportedly responded: “Like, he could have had minor shaken baby, and then it got worse cause we were so scared?”
An officer with the Lakewood Police Department said he found the couple's demeanor to be unusual considering the gravity of the suspected offense and the condition their child was in, according to the affidavit.
It remains unclear whether the parents have hired an attorney.
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