Central Florida Woman Charged with Abuse in Case Involving Viral TikTok

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A woman faces accusations of abusing her stepmother at the same residence associated with a viral TikTok video showing a door-to-door salesman experiencing racial harassment.

On Wednesday, 55-year-old Cheryl Pyle was booked into the Orange County on a charge of aggravated abuse of an elderly person.

According to investigators, someone called for a well-being check after a heated argument was heard.

Responding deputies said they found Pyle’s stepmother with severe swelling to her face and several injuries to her right arm.

Based on the arrest affidavit, the victim later reported to paramedics that her stepdaughter and the latter’s boyfriend assaulted her. Additionally, the victim recounted an incident where the pair tied a rope from her bedroom door to the garage door, effectively trapping her in her room, as noted in the affidavit.

Deputies have responded to the address on Abberton Court multiple times this year.

The home was the same one at the center of a viral social media video, where a Black man said he was racially harassed.

The residence attracted nationwide attention following a TikTok video posted by Antavis Johnson that went viral. Johnson, who is a solar utility worker, mentioned that the event occurred on July 29 when he was knocking on doors as part of his canvassing job.

Johnson said the encounter quickly escalated into a verbal racial attack.

“Before she even responded, her husband arrived. She called her husband downstairs,” Johnson shared. “He came out hurling racial slurs, threatening to hang me, and swore at me. The wife also used racial slurs against me.”

Two weeks later, emergency crews responded to reports of a suspicious package which was later deemed safe by deputies and fire crews.

No arrests were made in the two previous incidents.

As of Thursday, Pyle was detained without bond on a first-degree felony charge of aggravated abuse. Authorities have not disclosed whether charges will be filed against Pyle’s boyfriend.