Location: Texas, USA
A year ago my family moved in someone who happens to be (kinda) popular on TikTok. We will call her Apple. Apple has been recording my family for months without consent. They’ve recorded the children in the house throwing fits, a supposed audio of my mom having sex months ago, and who knows what else. Things didn’t go smoothly with Apple recently and they decided to move out.
After Apple moved into the new apartment a foul smell was discovered and my mother cleaned the rest of her room, moved the rest of her items into the garage to be picked up since Apple left a bunch of stuff. They still had a week left on the lease so Apple is saying what my mother did was illegal and this triggered the series of posts. She did not restrict access or damage the items, only moved them because it was a biohazard and didn’t smell good. My mom took pictures of the feces, urine, vomit, etc that was left in the room upon my advice.
Now Apple is harassing my family on TikTok, posting damaging defamatory statements, doxxing all of our names and our city, claiming child abuse, posting private personal text messages, and defaming my mother in any way possible. We have recorded all of the videos and tried reporting to TikTok which only took one of the videos down. We have also learned that she has been harassing our landlord via email for over a week sending them videos and texts about all of our personal lives. She informed the landlord we’ve violated the lease to try and have us evicted, she knows we would all go homeless if that happens. She has also contacted my mother’s coworker, putting her job at risk. Apple has also sent over multiple protective services and they’re all closing the cases because there is no abuse or neglect taking place. I contacted the police department and they’ve tried to reach her to tell her to stop I guess but that hasn’t worked. Apple told me not too long ago that she has a peace order for harassing someone else online, so this clearly is a pattern (unless that was all a lie too). I am now concerned for my families safety, job security, housing security, for the minors privacy, etc.
I just want to know, if this is grounds for a restraining order in Texas. Could we fight this without hiring a lawyer? Can a restraining order prevent her from making online posts about my family and contacting us via alternative accounts?