Being a teenager is notoriously difficult. They deal with so many issues both physical and mental, and the new world of social media has only added to the already existing woes. It seems impossible to make it to 20 as a well-adjusted human being. Kelsey Frederick was on the precipice of her teenage years and was looking to her parents for guidance in the most trying times of her life. Her father, however, did more harm than good, causing a nightmarish experience on what should’ve been one of the happiest days of his daughter’s life…
Birthday Weekend
Kelsey Frederick, left, was looking forward to celebrating her thirteenth birthday. The Ohio native had a weekend of fun planned with friends and family, and she couldn’t wait to officially become a teenager and enjoy the perks of growing up.
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Double Party Time
Although her parents were divorced, for Kelsey, that just meant two birthday parties. Her mom, Christin, and her dad, Schaffen, shared custody of her and usually agreed on similar parenting terms.
Something Special
Kelsey and her mom shared a strong bond, and in light of thirteen being a landmark year, Christin really wanted to treat her daughter to something special. For Kelsey’s birthday, Christin decided to do something she had never done before.
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Birthday Makeover
On her big day, they headed to a local beauty salon to give Kelsey a birthday makeover. The thirteen year old went for a brand new look to bring in her thirteenth year and had her brunette locks dyed.
Debut The ‘Do
Upon seeing the results, Kelsey was ecstatic. Her new hair made her feel confident and beautiful. She could not wait to debut her new ‘do when she went to her dad’s house to celebrate the second part of her birthday.
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Firefighter Couple
After the divorce of her parents, her father found love again when he met Sarah Murray while volunteering at a local fire department. This was all the better for Kelsey, who enjoyed spending time with her new stepmom and father.
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Looking Forward To The Reaction
In fact, the ups and downs of her parents divorce had not negatively affected their father-daughter relationship in anyway. She was looking forward to seeing how her dad and stepmom reacted to her new blonde look, expecting him to be pleased.
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Not The Same Girl
It was Kelsey’s mom who got the surprise of her lifetime when she picked her daughter up a few days after her birthday. She had dropped off an elated, confident, and proud young woman, but when she picked her up, Kelsey was almost unrecognizable.
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Haircut ‘Punishment’
Kelsey underwent yet another drastic hair transformation. This time, she was beyond devastated. The teenager cried to her mother as she explained her father and stepmom had forced her to completely chop off all of her hair, presumably as punishment for her birthday highlights!
Searching For A Solution
In just a few days, Kelsey had gone from happy and self-assured to miserable and embarrassed. Christin’s heart broke as she tried to comfort her daughter. Her mind was racing with anger at her ex-husband for this insane act. She needed to find a solution.
Turning To Social Media
Christin took to social media to express how she was feeling. She posted the photos of Kelsey and explained the awful situation. It did not take long before the post went viral, eliciting tons of responses from people all over the world.
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Social Media Reacts
The sympathetic comments poured in for Kelsey. One person stated, “I call it child abuse. Poor girl… having to grow up with a father like this could damage her self esteem for the rest of her life.” Kelsey’s father would respond in an unexpected way.
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Remaining Silent
Neither Schaffen or Sarah issued any comments on the situation! They received thousands of comments condemning their treatment of Kelsey but remained silent on the subject. Possibly as a way of standing by their decision. Regardless of their beliefs, they would receive consequences.
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Gaining Attention
Once Kelsey’s story began circulating on the internet, the authorities were made aware of what happened. In light of the evidence, they chose to open up a child abuse investigation against both Schffen and Sarah. As a result, the pair lost their jobs at the fire department.
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Reminder In The Mirror
In the meantime, poor Kelsey was stuck with a haircut that made her feel horrible. Of course her hair would grow back, but for the time being, she had to look in the mirror and remember what her father did — until her godmother had a brilliant idea.
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On A Mission To Make It Better
The godmother, Haylee Ann, decided that it was her duty to restore the teenager’s confidence. She took Kelsey to a beauty salon outside of Toledo, Ohio, where they would yet again transform her.
Fox 8 News Cleveland / YouTube
Wig Selection
The women at the salon helped Kelsey pick out a wig that would temporarily solve her problem and help her feel like herself again following the humiliating ordeal she went through. After she left the salon, Kelsey felt a million times better.
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Not Going Back
Kelsey had not been back to see her father since the event that took place, which meant she lost all the belongings she kept at her dad’s house. Christin wanted to get her new things but couldn’t afford to replace everything. So she once again used the power of social media.
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Raising Money
The GoFund me she created on Kelsey’s behalf started with a simple goal of $1,000 to help her recuperate her losses. Before too long, the page raised over $3,000 to support Kelsey!
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Emotional Scars
Certainly appearances are not everything, and hair will always grow back, but it was the emotional trauma that made the irreversible impact on Kelsey. Today, her and her mom work toward building the broken girl back up. Of course, it helps Kelsey to know she’s not the only teenager dealing with an injustice.
The Time / YouTube | Christin Johnson / Facebook
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