Orlando couple arrested after videos posted on social media prompt child abuse investigation

Video on social media leads to arrests

Authorities say two people have been arrested following an investigation into child abuse. Investigators said the case was brought to their attention after videos surfaced on Facebook.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A couple faces charges in a child abuse investigation stemming from a social media post.

Kimberly Hunt ignored our camera as she walked out of jail Thursday. The 30-year-old woman is charged with failure to report child abuse. Her husband, 32-year-old Justin Nickolai, is charged with child abuse after authorities said a Facebook video was brought to their attention.

According to Nickolai’s arrest affidavit, the first video posted at 9:01 Wednesday night showed a young girl sleeping outside of a home with no clothing on covered only by a white towel.

Deputies say people saw the video on social media and started making threats to the couple. Their next video was posted at 10:22 p.m. Deputies said it showed Nicholai slapping his daughter's face with an open hand, knocking her to the ground while calling her "a liar."

After seeing the second video, a woman listed the number for the Orange County Sheriff's Office (OSCO) on the posts, asking people to call to get help for the child. OCSO said when they arrived at the home, neither Hunt nor Nickolai would talk to deputies.

Both were arrested. Deputies called in the Florida Department of Children and Family Services and noted that seven children were removed from that home.

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On Thursday morning, OCSO tweeted a message of thanks to the public for speaking out and reporting the “alleged child abuse” to them along with the mugshots of both Hunt and Nickolai.