One night, at 10:54 p.m., TikToker Alexis (@itsmealexp_) was in bed when she heard the doorbell ring. She was at home with her boyfriend and her sick toddler.
She opened her doorbell camera app and saw a young woman with a baby strapped to her chest. She was frantically scrolling through her phone.
By the time Alexis registered what was happening, the woman had already started to walk away. Alexis walked outside in her pajamas and asked the woman if she was okay.
She ran back and quietly told Alexis that she was escaping from a domestic violence situation and needed help. She was trying to find a way to an Airbnb that was 18 minutes away.
Alexis was fearful at first, thinking it might be some kind of setup to lure her away somewhere. The woman told her that she had walked a long way from a section of newer townhouses that were built near Alexis’s neighborhood. Alexis went inside and immediately told her boyfriend what was going on.
She then opened the garage to get the woman in the car. The woman explained that she had tried to get an Uber, but the Uber wouldn’t take her because she had no car seat for the baby.
The police also wouldn’t help her. She was on the phone with someone who was clearly checking on her.
They got in the car and started driving. She then handed Alexis her phone. Her mom was on the other line, wanting to thank her for helping.
The woman also had no diapers or formula for her six-month-old baby, so they stopped at a store. Alexis waited in the parking lot with the baby, scanning the area for any signs of danger.
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When the woman returned, they headed to the Airbnb, which was 15 minutes away. Her mom had gotten the Airbnb for her and was trying to get a ticket home for her the next day. Once they arrived, Alexis gave her a phone charger and watched the woman go inside. Then, she drove off.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen to her, but what I do know is that what happened goes against everything in me, especially now that I’m a mom, because my instinct was to protect my child first,” said Alexis.
“But something just said that she really needed help, and it’s sad that we live in a world where helping someone is scary.”
Hopefully, the woman and her baby are okay and were able to get somewhere safe. In the comments section, people were divided in opinion on what Alexis should have done. Some agreed that she did the right thing, while others said that she unnecessarily put herself in potential danger.
“That was too nice of you, but please don’t do that again!” exclaimed one user.
“You both did the right thing. She removed herself from a dangerous situation, asking a total stranger for help. And you took all the proper precautions to keep yourself protected,” wrote another.
“My husband would have never let me go alone. Honestly, maybe not at all. Way too many other solutions could have been offered. Glad you are okay after that,” chimed in someone else.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
