A private investigator has declined an overprotective parent's request to spy on their underage child during Schoolies Week celebrations. Cassie Crofts, owner of Venus Investigations, said the parent asked her to monitor their 17-year-old at the end-of-year festivities.
Unusual Request Revealed on TikTok
Ms Crofts shared the potential job on TikTok, describing it as one of the strangest requests she had received. 'The parent asked if I would surveil their kid while they were on Schoolies later this year,' she said. 'This is the first time I've had a request like that.'
Ethical Concerns Lead to Rejection
Ms Crofts said she struggled to understand the parent's perspective. 'I'm not a parent, so I can't say I know what it's like to have a teenager going away and drinking without you for the first time,' she explained. After consulting colleagues who had also rejected similar cases, she decided to decline. 'Ultimately, I didn't feel comfortable surveilling someone under 18, particularly after talking to the parents,' she said.
Ms Crofts noted that the parents and she had different views on the purpose of such surveillance. 'We couldn't agree on when would I step in versus just reporting back. I'm lucky to be in a position where I can decline cases I don't feel comfortable with. I think unless it's a missing person case, I'd be turning down cases involving a minor.'
Public Reaction Divided
Aussies on social media largely supported the decision. 'I think the 17-year-old has the right to privacy,' one commenter said. 'I think the parent should talk to their child and then have to trust their child.' Another added, 'If I was in your shoes, I wouldn't do it.' A third called the request 'creepy.'
However, some thought the investigator should have taken the job. 'A lot of people who have attended Schoolies never made it home, so I don't think it's the worst idea,' one person said. 'They just want to keep them safe, so do it,' another argued.
