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@kellythemagicalmedium/TikTok

‘Disrespectful’: Psychics on TikTok slammed for trying to ‘channel’ Gabby Petito

'It's the cognitive dissonance of real people's actual pain for personal amusement.'

 

Clara Wang

Internet Culture

Posted on Sep 23, 2021   Updated on Sep 23, 2021, 1:46 pm CDT

TikTok psychics are under fire for trying to “channel” the spirit of homicide victim Gabby Petito, who was recently confirmed deceased.

Petito was a travel vlogger and social media influencer who went missing while documenting her cross-country road trip with fiancé Brian Laundrie. Coroners confirmed her cause of death as a homicide, and authorities are still searching for Laundrie, who is a person of interest in her death.

A few self-proclaimed TikTok psychics have tried to “channel” Petito’s spirit following the latest updates in the ongoing case.

TikToker @kellythemagicalmedium, whose channel is dedicated to her work as a medium, posted a series of videos starting Sept. 16, in which she “taps in” to Petito’s spirit. Her first and most popular video, posted Sept. 16, has over 841,000 views.

https://www.tiktok.com/@kellythemagicalmedium/video/7008558150500584709?

TikTok medium @kelsiidaviess also “read” into Petito’s recent photos and claimed she had visions of Petito being in distress.

@kelsiidaviess

I really hope they figure this out. If anyone knows ANYTHING. Contact the FBI tip line. #gabbypetito #psychic #medium

♬ original sound – Kelsi Davies

Such TikToks sparked online outrage, with many commenters calling the psychics’ videos insensitive to the victim’s family. “It’s the cognitive dissonance of real people’s actual pain for personal amusement,” said commenter @beardybigbro. Dexerto reports the videos were called “disrespectful” and “f*cked up” by viewers.

@bloodbathandbeyond posted a TikTok video decrying social media’s obsession with the Petito case. The video points out how tone-deaf such true-crime obsessions and psychic readings can be and amassed over 155,000 likes since posting five days ago. “SHES A MISSING PERSON NOT A FAD OR TREND,” @danellemitzi commented on the video.

https://www.tiktok.com/@bloodbathandbeyond/video/7009308476858060038?

Daily Dot reached out to @kelsiidaviess and @kellythemagicalmedium for comment.


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H/T Dexerto

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*First Published: Sep 23, 2021, 1:38 pm CDT