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Death threats target Miranda
TikToker Miranda Derrick, famously known for her dance videos on the platform has been facing backlash ever since the airing of Netflix documentary, “Dancing For The Devil.” On Monday, June 10, Miranda, posted a video on Instagram revealing that she and her husband, James “BDash” Derrick, have been receiving death threats and have been stalked since the docuseries premiered.
The series suggests they are involved in an alleged cult led by Robert Shinn, founder of the Shekinah Church.
Read more about the social media backlash here.
Miranda’s sister responds
Melanie Wilking has publicly condemned the threats made against her sister, Miranda Derrick, following the release of the Netflix docu-series. The family went live and documented their response regarding the backlash received by Miranda.
Melanie expressed sadness over Miranda’s response to the docuseries. “She’s been under this control for over three years, and so the person that’s sitting in front of her camera and making these posts, that’s not my true sister,” she explained.
The TikToker’s sister added: “She’s so loving and kind and loved our family, and so for her to point fingers at us, it’s just not her true self.”
In an interview, Melanie said: “Of course, we never wanted any sort of violence to come her way, and I’m very sorry that she has experienced that because our only intent was to save her from an unsafe environment and to give her love and know that we’re here to support her.”
Years ago, Melanie and Miranda shared a joint social media account called “The Wilking Sisters.” However, Melanie quickly realized something was amiss. “I think the difference is I didn’t have a significant other in the group,” she noted.
“James, Miranda’s boyfriend at the time, was extremely involved, so therefore in order for my sister to see him, she would have to also be going to these services and dinners. I didn’t have that, so I was kind of disconnected in a way and was able to listen to outside influences a little more, confirming the red flags that I was seeing.”
Melanie described how Miranda’s involvement with James and the church altered their family dynamic. “When I would see my sister, it was very surface level. We couldn’t talk about anything in depth because that trust was broken on both sides,” she said.
Participating in the docuseries posed significant risks for Melanie and her parents. “To have a genuine relationship again with my sister, I knew we had to continue to speak out,” she said. “I care more about her safety and her well-being, and so doing the documentary meant that we could progress that in a positive direction instead of just pretending like things weren’t happening when we know the truth about the organization that she’s a part of. We couldn’t just be bystanders.”
Reflecting on their efforts, Melanie said, “All the steps that we’ve taken, trying to resolve it quietly for a year, then going live and then having all of these dancers and members leave because we used our voice… all of these things have resulted in positive outcomes, so I have to believe that my gut and intuition has been correct.” She has reached out to Miranda, saying, “I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk,” but has not received a response.
What does the future hold for this family?
Despite the challenges, Melanie and her family remain hopeful. “My hope for the future is we are all hanging out, having family parties, talking on the daily like we used to and just being there to support each other. That’s all we’ve ever wanted.”
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