TikTok Video of Mom Dragging Child on Leash Through Airport Goes Viral; Clip Divides Internet

A video of a child being dragged by a leash on the ground at an airport has gone viral on the internet with netizens utterly divided over the mother's actions. Captioned "Leaving Cancun is tough...I feel ya buddy," the TikTok video which revealed the airport situation has been viewed 11 million times already and has been liked 1.9 million times since being shared in the social media platform on Wednesday, April 13.

According to Good Housekeeping, child leashes or harnesses are often attached to a backpack around a child with parents using these devices to prevent their kids from getting lost or wandering off. The topic of using them has been controversial, though, with some people strongly in favor or opposed to their use.

In the eight-second video that was posted by TikToker @cacadoodledoo83, also known as Erica Shupe Hall, the song Manic Monday by The Bangles played in the background of the clip as the TikToker filmed in an airport while seated by her luggage.

Viral video shows boy being dragged by mom with a leash

The short clip began with a mother dragging a young child by a leash which was attached to the kid's backpack. According to a report by Newsweek, this was an attempt by the mother to get the kid, presumably her son, to follow her as she walked on slowly in the airport. The parent looked back at the boy while wearing a mask as she did the pulling.

   @cacadoodledoo83 Leaving Cancun is tough … I feel ya buddy!  ♬ Manic Monday - The Bangles     

The boy, who is estimated to be around 3 or 4 years old, did not show any movements as his mother literally dragged him by the leash as he laid on the floor. The TikToker followed the young kid with her camera as the mother continued to drag him for a few seconds. People even walked by the mother-son duo before the viral video was cut off.

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Dr. Hoffman does not approve of child leashes

One guy who does not approve of their use is Dr. Benjamin Hoffman, the current chair of the injury prevention council at the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Stamford Advocate reported that Hoffman does not recommend parents use these particular devices.

Hoffman said in the article that as a pediatrician, he is not happy to see kids leashed like pets. As a father of three himself, Hoffman said he is well aware of how quick, impulsive and unpredictable children can be but from an injury standpoint, he would worry about entanglement or choking with the child leashes. Hoffman noted the risks of other loose cords, like the ones found on window blinds.

Hoffman added that there is also the risk of accidentally tripping one's child with the tether. He said that he has personally witnessed parents pull back forcefully on a leash, resulting in a child falling, often backwards. Hoffman's main worry is that those kind of falls would result in injuries to the child's head and limbs. Hoffman said that as a pediatrician, he would much rather see a child put in a stroller than on a leash.

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