January 25, 2026 at 8:35 am

Former Daycare Volunteer Helped During A Child’s Medical Crisis, But Then The Mother Faced Consequences For Her Carelessness

by Benjamin Cottrell

child in overalls playing with building blocks

Pexels/Reddit

Some people just refuse to be held accountable — even for their own children.

Years after an incident at a daycare center involving a sick child, one former volunteer found herself tracked down on Facebook by a careless parent — this time demanding more free babysitting.

But when she refused, it didn’t go over well.

Keep reading for the full story!

AITAH for not wanting to babysit a woman’s kids?

When I was 18, I was volunteering at a daycare center near my college.

There was this mom who was notorious for doing drop-and-runs—shoving kids through the doors and leaving, or leaving them in front of the doors and taking off.

One day, she didn’t mention that her 6-year-old daughter had either a stomach virus, the flu, or COVID-19 and just left.

The daycare decided to call for medical attention for the child.

Long story short, an ambulance was called, as were her ex-MIL (a saint of a woman) and her ex-husband, because her 6-year-old had a very high fever (104.8°F) and the mom didn’t answer.

Now onto the current issue.

The same woman didn’t lose full custody of her kids after that incident and has now found me on Facebook.

She had a pretty audacious request.

She demanded that I babysit her now 9-year-old daughter, 5-year-old twin boys, a 4-year-old boy, and an 18-month-old daughter as “compensation” for her going to court three years ago.

I said no.

She then reached out to my mom, who told me that I should have some remorse because the woman could have lost her kids due to me calling an ambulance (I didn’t—my manager did) and their dad taking her to court.

Now she wonders if she handled the situation correctly.

I told her to buzz off and blocked her fifth new Facebook account before mulling it over.

I feel like I might have been an AH, as I called her ex-husband and his mom at the time—but they were the only ones who answered.

AITA?

Was she being heartless, or just sticking up for herself?

Redditors weigh in with their thoughts.

It’s humorous that this woman thinks she has any moral high ground whatsoever.

Screenshot 2025 12 28 at 5.57.59 PM Former Daycare Volunteer Helped During A Child’s Medical Crisis, But Then The Mother Faced Consequences For Her Carelessness

This mother likely reached out in desperation, but that still doesn’t make it anyone else’s problem.

Screenshot 2025 12 28 at 5.58.31 PM Former Daycare Volunteer Helped During A Child’s Medical Crisis, But Then The Mother Faced Consequences For Her Carelessness

Childcare can be hard to come by, but it’s still the parent’s responsibility to act with common sense.

Screenshot 2025 12 28 at 5.59.27 PM Former Daycare Volunteer Helped During A Child’s Medical Crisis, But Then The Mother Faced Consequences For Her Carelessness

Protecting a sick child should be a no-brainer for most people.

In this case, blocking this crazy mother was a form of self-care.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.