The mother of YouTube star Piper Rockelle, 15, is facing allegations that she emotionally and physically abused children, including touching their buttocks and even mailing her daughter’s underwear to a male fan.
In a complaint filed in January 2022, 11 teens from the ‘Piper Squad’ say that Tiffany Smith, 41, would intentionally inflict distress on the group while they were producing content for Piper’s YouTube account which has more than 10 million followers.
Smith encouraged the minors to be ‘sexy’ and subjected them to ‘harassment, molestation, and abuse,’ according to the complaint.
Sawyer Sharbino, Donlad Dougher, Corrine Joy, Connor Cain, Symonne Harrison, Ayden Mekus, Hayden Haas, Walker Bryant, Sophie Fergi, Claire Rocksmith, and Reese Rocksmith are asking for $2 million from Smith and her boyfriend Hunter Hill.
The group also alleges they were asked to stage romances and ‘crushes’ on other members of the ‘squad’ despite all being underage.
Tiffany Smith, the mother of YouTube star Piper Rockelle, 15, is facing allegations that she emotionally and physically abused children, including touching their buttocks and even mailing her daughter’s underwear to a male fan
In a complaint filed in January 2022, 11 teens from the ‘Piper Squad’ say that Tiffany Smith, 41, would intentionally inflict distress on the group while they were producing content for Piper’s YouTube account which has more than 10 million followers
According to the defendants, Smith would purposefully exploit the children on her daughter’s YouTube page.
Some of the plaintiffs in their complaint also allege they were not paid for their appearances on her page and while promoting Rockelle’s content.
In the nearly 150 page complaint, the group of teenagers and children describe the alleged abuse they endured at the hands of Smith.
The group called the YouTube stage mom a ‘mean-spirited control freak’ and say she often made uncomfortable comments about the children.
They say she would make obscene and graphic remarks about genitalia, encouraged them to be ‘sexy,’ and ‘sexually aggressive.’
One video posted to Rockelle’s YouTube page two years ago features eight teens in a ‘last to stop kissing’ game where $10,000 was offered to the winners. That video currently has 10 million views.
Smith is also accused of touching the children on their legs, thighs, and buttocks.
One of the eleven defendants also claims Smith mailed her own teenage daughter’s ‘soiled training bras and panties’ to an unknown man and said ‘old men like to smell this stuff.’
According to the group, Smith would exploit the children on her daughter’s YouTube
The group called the YouTube stage mom (right) a ‘mean-spirited control freak’ and say she often made uncomfortable comments about the children
Rockelle, seen here, is just 15-years-old. The group says her mom would make obscene and graphic remarks about genitalia, encouraged them to be ‘sexy,’ and ‘sexually aggressive’
Ashley Anne-Rock Smith, whose daughters Claire and Reese are both plaintiffs and are cousins with Rockelle, said she wants her children to feel ‘peace’ again.
‘I just want peace back with my kids,’ said Rock Smith in an interview with NBC.
The mom also said she wants action to be taken on YouTube’s policies regarding children and their accounts.
‘I want all predators who hurt young kids to be brought to justice,’ Rock Smith said. ‘I also hope we move the needle on these platforms that are allowing this.’
‘As children, they don’t understand it, sometimes it goes over their heads,’ Steevy Areeco, the mother of Corinne, told NBC.
‘But now they’re older and they’re starting to understand the trauma that was caused, the things that were said to them, these fake crushes,’ Areeco said.
The lawsuit specifically cites Hill, Rock’s boyfriend, as the director and editor of Rockelle’s YouTube account.
YouTube states that it does not take responsibility for the conduct of its creators.
‘We all love YouTube and it’s a great place, but when somebody is using it as a business and pulling other children in, those people should have to uphold a certain standard,’ Areeco said told NBC News.
The group alleges they were asked to stage romances and ‘crushes’ on other members of the ‘squad’ despite all being underage
‘We want there to be protections for the children,’ Areeco said.
DailyMail.com reached out to YouTube for comment on the ongoing lawsuit but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Smith countersued in July for $30 million and alleged the plaintiffs’ mothers are making up the allegations to extort her.
She later dropped the suit and lawyers representing the plaintiffs called the lawsuit ‘baseless.’
