KISSIMMEE, Fla. – A video showing a Kissimmee toddler scared of the Easter Bunny has gone viral.
The family told News 6 that the video was recorded by a worker March 29 at Around the World Learning Center in Kissimmee. The video, which has millions of views online, was then shared on Snapchat.
Many viewers think the video is a joke, but the child's grandmother, Mary Bryson-Robinson, said the video shows day care workers not comforting the little girl while she was frantic.
Bryson-Robinson said that when she picked up her 2-year-old granddaughter Surai later that day, workers told her that Surai was afraid of the Easter Bunny. She said employees did not elaborate on what they meant by that statement.
Over the weekend, without the family even aware the video existed, the clip went viral online, receiving millions of views.
"When we did see it, it already had gone everywhere. Any place you look on the internet, my granddaughter is there," Bryson-Robinson said. "I'm looking at just pure horror in her face and I'm wondering, 'How could that be on the internet for anything good?'"
The toddler's family said that it is extremely upset and even claims to have signed a waiver with the day care prior to this incident, prohibiting staff from recording any type of photography of Surai.
The 2-year-old's family told News 6 that the video shows the child in fear for her life.
"My granddaughter looked petrified. Her face changed. It was not the same child that I dropped off that day or the child that I know," Bryson-Robinson said. "For a bunny of that size to appear, I'm sure it scared the daylights out of her."
Along with the millions of views came the comments on social media. People have posted their opinion of the video. Little Surai's family said racial comments have been overwhelming and heartbreaking.
"People use it as a racial thing. How people can, you know, 'Black people are "that" way.' For a 2-year-old, it is just agony to go through," Bryson-Robinson said.
News 6 called the day care Wednesday for comment and was told by an employee that the center was investigating the incident. When News 6 called again Thursday, the owner said she had no comment.