Emergency workers like police officers and firefighters are called to protect and serve, but a fire chief in New Babylon, New York, is accused of hurling “verbal abuse” towards a 10-year-old child.
A video captured by a bystander and shared on TikTok by @theauntiemommy shows what she says is a 10-year-old girl having a mental health emergency. Instead of being helped by the emergency responders, however, the child is berated and forced to endure the fire chief hurling vile profanities at her.
The TikTok user posted the video on August 4, 2025, and claimed that it captured the North Babylon Fire Department mistreating the 10-year-old little girl in a crisis.
“She was scared, having a mental health emergency—and instead of compassion, she was berated, told shut the f*ck up, you little b*tch by a grown man in uniform,” she wrote on the video.
The TikToker also accused the Suffolk County Police of standing by and doing “nothing.”
Disturbingly, the TikToker also claimed that what wasn't captured in the short video clip was "even worse," and that the verbal abuse went "on and on."
“This child was treated like she didn’t matter,” the TikToker continued. “This is beyond unacceptable. This is trauma. Children in crisis need care, not cruelty. We will not be silent. This cannot keep happening.”
Other news sources reported that the fire chief was identified as Peter Alt, chief of the North Babylon Volunteer Fire Company, and that additional video captured him yelling, “Shut the [expletive] up! It’s like this with you every [expletive] week!” at the little girl.
According to NBC Philadelphia, the 10-year-old was upset about having her phone taken away, so her mother called the police. Neighbors reported that police have been called to the girl’s home in the past, but that the police staff had always been kind to her.
The North Babylon Volunteer Fire Company posted a response to the video, noting that the fire chief used "inappropriate language" and condemming his actions.
The statement also says that Altman has been relieved of all his duties while the department investigates. The Department added that they find this behavior “unacceptable.”
Both neighbors and TikTokers applauded the @theauntiemommy for recording and sharing the video, but some commenters felt that it wasn’t just the chief alone who should be reprimanded for his actions.
“SILENCE IS COMPLIANCE. The others should feel ashamed for not standing up for that child,” wrote one TikToker.
“The SILENCE of those other ‘men’ is almost worse,” added another in agreement. “Outrageous!”
