Police Investigate Viral Video Filmed in Hospital Room Involving Critically Ill Child

TikTok Dances in a Death Room: The Heart-Wrenching Tragedy of Baby NC and the Parents Facing Murder Charges

In the quiet, sterile corridors of Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, a tragedy was unfolding that would eventually pull back the curtain on a nightmare of domestic horror. It is a case that centers on the most vulnerable of victims—a seven-week-old infant boy identified only by his initials, NC. While the medical staff fought valiantly to save a life that had barely begun, the child’s parents were allegedly engaged in behavior so bizarre and callous that it has sparked a national conversation about the intersection of social media culture and criminal negligence.

Mark Anthony Clamur, 21, and Alyssa Jade Vanderbeck, 19, now stand accused of second-degree murder in a case that Pierce County prosecutors describe as a harrowing example of abusive head trauma. The investigation into NC’s death has revealed a timeline of events that suggests a pattern of abuse, a critical delay in seeking medical care, and a shocking lack of empathy that culminated in a TikTok dance video filmed just feet away from the dying child.

The Timeline of a Tragedy

The sequence of events that led to the arrest of Clamur and Vanderbeck began on March 4, 2026. According to police reports, West Pierce Fire and Rescue was summoned to a residence in Lakewood, Washington, following a 911 call placed by Clamur at approximately 2:21 PM. Clamur reported that his two-month-old son was not breathing.

When officers arrived at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital the following day to follow up on the suspected child abuse incident, they were met by a social worker who delivered the grim news: the infant was not expected to survive. The injuries were extensive, but the explanation provided by the parents was immediately flagged as inconsistent and “unusual” by the responding officers .

During separate interviews, the parents detailed a day that started with routine care but quickly spiraled into violence. Clamur allegedly admitted to police that he had become frustrated when the infant became “fussy” during a feeding . In an attempt to quiet the child, he demonstrated a forward and backward jerking motion, admitting that he saw the child’s head jerk back “pretty hard” . Despite recognizing that the motion was “rough,” Clamur claimed the child initially looked normal and seemed to simply be getting tired .

A Deadly Delay

Perhaps the most damning evidence against the couple is the window of time between the initial signs of distress and the arrival of emergency services. While the 911 call was placed at 2:21 PM, evidence suggests the child was in significant medical trouble as early as 1:00 PM.

According to Vanderbeck, she awoke around 1:00 PM and joined Clamur for a shower. They brought the baby into the bathroom in his bouncer. When they emerged, Vanderbeck noticed that NC was breathing abnormally and his eyes were moving strangely . Instead of calling for help, she reportedly “really forced his eyes open” and attempted to rouse him by physically shaking him in a panic .

Instead of dialing 911, Vanderbeck spent the next hour recording videos of her son in distress and sending them to friends and family to ask for medical advice. Police describe these videos as “shocking,” showing a child with labored breathing, posturing, and grunting—all clinical signs of severe neurological damage. Clamur, for his part, claimed he thought the baby just had “gas” and spent ten minutes attempting to burp the unresponsive infant .

The Forensic Evidence

When the medical reports finally came in, the true extent of NC’s suffering was laid bare. A physician’s assessment found that the seven-week-old had suffered subdural hemorrhages, an anoxic brain injury (caused by a total lack of oxygen to the brain), and extensive retinal hemorrhages . These injuries are classic indicators of “acceleration-deceleration” trauma—more commonly known as Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Even more troubling was the discovery of healing rib fractures in the eighth and ninth ribs . An autopsy later revealed additional fractures in the fifth and sixth ribs . These healing fractures were a clear signal to investigators that the March 4 incident was not an isolated event. It suggested a pattern of ongoing abuse that had been occurring throughout the baby’s short life. This evidence led prosecutors to suggest that charges could eventually be elevated to “homicide by abuse,” which carries even stricter penalties .

The TikTok Controversy: Digital Detachment

While the physical injuries are the legal basis for the murder charges, it is the mother’s digital behavior that has captured the public’s outrage. On March 8, 2026, while NC was in the hospital fighting for his life, Alyssa Vanderbeck allegedly uploaded a video to TikTok .

The video, which has since been deleted but remains part of the police affidavit, showed Vanderbeck performing a slow dance in the bathroom of the hospital room. Upbeat music played in the background as her son lay dying just a few feet away . Prosecutors pointed to this video during her arraignment as evidence of an “unusual” and “callous” demeanor that suggests she posed a flight risk and a danger to the community.

Legal expert and former prosecutor Mark Weaver noted that while a defense attorney might argue the dance was a “coping mechanism” for grief, a prosecutor would use it to demonstrate a “depraved heart”. “Most reasonable people, if our child were in the hospital, the last thing we want to do is dance or do a social media video,” Weaver explained.

The Defense and Jury Nullification

As the case heads toward a pre-trial hearing on April 8, the legal battle lines are being drawn. Both parents are currently held on $1 million bail . The defense is likely to lean into the narrative that this was a young, inexperienced couple who were “in over their heads.” Clamur had expressed ongoing stress related to finances, housing, and the exhaustion of child care . Vanderbeck had even posted on social media that she “hates feeling like the worst mom to exist” .

Weaver suggests that the defense may aim for “jury nullification,” where they hope to find jurors who sympathize with the stresses of parenthood and decide not to convict, even if the evidence of the crime is clear . Furthermore, the defense community has increasingly begun to challenge “Shaken Baby Syndrome” as “junk science,” hiring experts to argue that other underlying medical conditions could cause similar brain swelling .

However, the prosecution has a powerful counter-narrative: the healing fractures and the delayed 911 call. “Not calling 911 is evidence of consciousness of guilt,” Weaver said . In a case where two parents are involved, the state may attempt to “flip” one against the other, offering a lesser sentence to whoever testifies against the primary abuser.

Conclusion: A Life Cut Short

Ultimately, the legal maneuvering and social media scandals cannot overshadow the tragic loss of a life that should have been just beginning. NC was a “vulnerable victim” in every sense of the word—entirely dependent on the very people now accused of causing his death.

As Pierce County awaits the full pathology report, the community is left to grapple with the disturbing images of a mother dancing while her child took his final breaths. Justice for NC will depend on the ability of the court to look past the “Sabb stories” of parental stress and focus on the forensic reality of a child who was shaken, broken, and ultimately failed by those meant to protect him.