Police in Maricopa, Ariz., say Machelle Hackney, 48, was abusing her adopted children and forcing them to perform for her YouTube channel. She was charged with molestation of a child, child abuse, unlawful imprisonment and child neglect. But the prospect that a commercial endeavor on YouTube could be facilitating child abuse off-screen appears to present a relatively new challenge for the company. According to authorities in Arizona, Hackney’s YouTube channel was the reason for her alleged mistreatment of her adopted children. Hackney denied using pepper spray and ice baths to punish the children, according to the statement of probable cause.

Source: Washington Post March 20, 2019 09:45 UTC