A former Wendy’s manager is facing criminal charges after allegedly tying a neurodivergent employee to the fast-food restaurant’s grill with garbage bags in a cruel, caught-on-camera assault.
Detectives served a warrant Thursday charging Michiko Burton, 19, with simple assault and false imprisonment, a misdemeanor assault charge related to the August 30 incident, police in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, said.
A fellow Wendy’s employee, Nicholus Murphy, said he was so disturbed seeing his coworker tied to the kitchen equipment that he videotaped the incident and shared it with local news station WSMV4.
The troubling footage shows the employee standing with his back to the grill, leaning against it, while a garbage bag is wrapped around his ankle and tied to the equipment. Murphy said that Burton told him she didn’t want to “babysit” the employee before tying him up.
“I actually felt sad for him,” Murphy said. “I actually wanted to cry.”
The co-worker’s family confirmed to the outlet that he is neurodivergent. He has not been publicly identified.
Murfreesboro police said that officers interviewed Burton, and that she admitted to tying the worker to the equipment — but said the incident was part of a TikTok trend.
However, Murphy and the employee’s family say that’s not an acceptable explanation.
“If there was a TikTok trend, then where’s the TikTok?” Murphy said.
After the local news station aired a segment on the incident, Murfeesboro police interviewed the employee, who said he was not upset and was not injured. No charges were filed at the time. However, his family later asked police to reopen their investigation.
In a recorded meeting with staff, an area manager called the incident “unacceptable,” and said Burton was fired as a manager at the restaurant.
The incident was referred to Adult Protective Services and investigated by detectives with the Special Victims Unit. The investigation led to warrants for Burton’s arrest.
“This has been an awful traumatic event,” said Isaac Kimes, an attorney for the family of the neurodivergent employee. “The young man in the video seen now by millions is not doing well.”
Burton was booked into the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on a $2,000 bond. Online court records showed she had been released by Tuesday.
“The family thinks, and I think anyone would think, that it’s absolutely inappropriate, unsafe and dehumanizing to tie an employee to a grill,” Kimes said, adding that Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas “wouldn’t approve of chaining an employee to a grill.”
Kimes said the family is considering whether or not to take legal action.
Wendy’s of Bowling Green, the franchisee that owns and operates the restaurant, acknowledged the troubling incident in a statement.
“The safety and well-being of our employees is our top priority. This behavior is inconsistent with our values and the standards we expect in our restaurants. Upon learning of the situation, it was promptly investigated and appropriate action was taken. We remain committed to maintaining a respectful workplace where all employees are treated with dignity and respect.”
Burton is due to appear in court October 22.