Baltimore Mom Who Slapped Son During Riots Still Fears for Her Children

Last April, Toya Graham made headlines when she slapped her 16-year-old son Michael in the face for joining Baltimore rioters protesting the death of Freddie Gray.

CBS interviewed Graham to mark the six-month anniversary of her confrontation with her son and found that she still fears for the safety of her children. She said, “Just this morning, I broke down. And you know, I — it’s just, it’s hard. It’s hard,” acknowledging that the family struggles to make ends meet. She continued, “I know a lot of mothers out here understand where I’m coming from. We’re struggling. We’re struggling, we’re just trying to make sure we keep food on our table for our children, keep them out harm’s way, keep them out of danger.”

Although she was feted on social media for her restraint of her son, when asked if she felt like a “hero mom,” she responded, “I don’t feel like a hero mom — I never did. You know, I never did. He’s my son. And so, if I have to be out there to stop him from doing things that he shouldn’t be doing, then that’s what I’m gonna do… I just don’t feel like a hero. This is a real struggle. When the cameras is gone, the reality of life is still there. It’s still there.”

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