This article was first published in August 2021.
A shopper has shared their dismay after spotting a baby lying on the cold, hard floor of a food court while the parents ate their meals.
In a clip posted to the popular video-sharing platform TikTok, a perplexed shopper, who goes by the name of Jay Gunna, filmed a couple who had placed their baby on the tiled floor of an unidentified mall as they ate their food.
The parenting technique visibly shocked the shopper, who says: "Are they for real, for real? Or for fake?"
The video, which has racked up almost 4000 views at the time of writing, shows the baby squirming and kicking on their back with a toy in one hand. However, the child doesn't appear to be overly distressed, and is not heard crying or screaming during the clip.
But the bizarre move has attracted outrage on TikTok, with many dumbfounded viewers left scratching their heads.
Some were horrified by the parents' apparent disregard for their baby's welfare, pointing out how dirty the floors of a busy shopping centre would be.
Sanitation issues weren't the only concern, with some noting how no shoppers in the vicinity - including the TikTok user - had approached the couple to raise their concerns.
"That's so sad, poor child… and like no one said anything," one wrote, while another added: "I can't believe no one said anything. I would have gone straight up to them and told them that's unacceptable!"
"Someone needs to rub their faces on that nasty floor so they understand," one user chipped in.
"She's not a dog!" said another.
One user said the clip had made their "blood boil".
Other users shared the clip in a bid to warn other parents against the possible dangers of placing a baby on an unsanitary surface.
