The family of a Wendy’s employee in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is asking police to reopen an investigation after video showed the worker tied to kitchen equipment with trash bags. Supervisors fired manager Michiko Burton after viewing the footage, while Burton reportedly told police the act was a "TikTok trend," a claim the family and a co-worker dispute. Police initially interviewed the employee, who said he was not injured, and did not file charges; the family seeks a fresh review.
Wendy’s Employee Filmed Tied to Kitchen Equipment; Family Demands Police Reopen Case
Image Credit: WSMV.
A Wendy’s crew member in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was filmed secured to kitchen equipment with trash bags during a shift, prompting the worker’s family to ask police to reopen the case after an initial investigation produced no charges.
What Happened
Video recorded by co-worker Nicholus Murphy shows a Wendy’s employee tied to kitchen fixtures with trash bags at the South Church Street location. Murphy said he began recording after seeing the worker restrained and later shared the footage with supervisors. The employee’s family has said the worker is neurodivergent; the employee has not been publicly identified.
Employer Response
Following review of the footage, the restaurant’s supervisors fired the manager involved. An area manager described the conduct as "unacceptable" in a meeting captured on a separate recording, and the restaurant’s general manager later confirmed a manager was terminated over the incident. The franchisee operating the restaurant, Wendy’s of Bowling Green, said it investigated and that the conduct was inconsistent with company standards.
Police Review And Disputed Explanation
Murphys’ footage and the internal meeting recordings were among the materials that prompted local police to examine the incident. According to reporting by WSMV4 Investigates and Gray News, manager Michiko Burton told officers the episode was a "TikTok trend" and meant as a joke. Murphy and the employee’s family have rejected that explanation.
"If there was a TikTok trend, then where's the TikTok?" — Nicholus Murphy, co-worker
WSMV reported it obtained a Murfreesboro police report with Burton’s account. The outlet also reported that police interviewed the tied employee, who reportedly said he was not injured and was not upset. The initial police response resulted in no charges. As of Sept. 12, the Murfreesboro Police Department had not posted a public update announcing any new disposition; the department’s website directs requests for reports to its Records Section.
Family Seeks Reinvestigation
Despite the lack of charges, the employee’s family is asking police to take another look at the incident. They dispute the manager’s characterization of the event as a prank and point to the video evidence and internal recordings as reasons to reopen the case.
Reporting Notes
Details about what Burton reportedly told officers are based on WSMV’s reporting of the Murfreesboro police report; this article was unable to independently retrieve the underlying incident report from an online public archive. WSMV attempted to reach Burton by phone and social media and did not receive a response.
What To Watch For: Whether Murfreesboro police reopen the investigation, whether further details from the police report are released publicly, and whether the franchisee or Wendy’s corporate offices make additional statements.
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