FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA: Chris Rooney, a well-recognized figure on TikTok who goes under the moniker Uncle Chris, has been admitted to a mental health facility following concerns raised by his family when they reported him missing.
Rooney is known for his engaging videos alongside his niece Marleigh, affectionately referred to as "the Yeet Baby." Last week, his family filed a missing person report after they were unable to establish contact with him.
‘All of his emotions coming to a head’
Fortunately, within a few hours, the family received the reassuring news that Rooney was accounted for and safe. In a heartfelt message shared on Instagram on August 8, the family disclosed that the TikTok personality is receiving care in a mental health facility.
"For our Yeet Baby fam...As many of you know, his life the last six months has been nothing short of difficult. What you all witnessed leading up to his disappearance was all of his emotions coming to a head," the post read.
Chris Rooney had recently undergone a separation from his wife and candidly shared about it on social media platforms. However, all the posts from his account have since been deleted.
Apparently, shortly before he was reported missing, Rooney had watched 'Sound of Freedom', a movie about child sex trafficking.
Uncle Chris was 'not in his right mind'
"Like many others, he was sick to his core over it," the star's family wrote. They continued, "This prompted him to post links to raise money for the cause of ending child sex trafficking."
"To many of you, this may have seemed odd, but he genuinely wanted and still wants to help this cause," they added, noting Rooney was "visibly not in his right mind and not acting like the Chris we know and love" at the time he made the posts.
Rooney's disappearance and the subsequent failure to contact him had filled the family with unease and apprehension. They were relieved to learn that he had checked himself into a mental health facility.
"We are sure you all still have a lot of questions, but those are for Uncle Chris to answer once he is healthy and ready to share his experiences," the family wrote.
