Baltimore Mom Who Slapped Her Son in Viral Protest Video Speaks Out: ''I Don't Want Him to Be a Freddie Gray''

Find out what Toya Graham is saying today

By Brett Malec Apr 29, 2015 7:06 PMTags

Baltimore's "#MomoftheYear" is speaking out!

A few days after a video of Toya Graham slapping her son and scolding him for participating in violent protests in Baltimore, the mother of six is telling the story behind the now famous incident.

"I could see the objects being thrown at the police, and I was like...'Oh my God, this is really happening right here with me,'" Graham told the local CBS News station. "And lo and behold: I turn around and I look in this crowd, and my son is actually coming across the street with this hoodie on and a mask. At that point, I just lost it. He gave me eye contact. And at that point, you know, not even thinking about cameras or anything like that. That's my only son and at the end of the day I don't want him to be a Freddie Gray."

Freddie Gray died while in police custody, sparking the riots in Baltimore.

When Graham saw her teenage son, Michael, participating in the chaos, she says, "I just lost it. I was shocked, I was angry, because you never want to see your child out there doing that."

Graham says she hopes the incident will be a lesson to Michael.

"And by him seeing everything what's going on I just hope, I'm not sure, but I hope that he understands the seriousness of what was going on last night," Graham said.

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