Dad Allegedly Beats Kid To Tune of 'Blurred Lines'

Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’ has been controversial from its first play on the radio. Feminists have attacked the song for attempting to portray sexual consent as up for debate, and Miley Cyrus’ infamous VMA performance has pretty much sealed the deal — Blurred Lines is one of the most controversial songs in popular music.

As if the song isn't contentious enough, a Florida man has given you a whole new reason to hate the ubiquitous anthem.

Pissed off because his underage daughter skipped school, 40 year old Stephen Grady Fillingim allegedly used a 30-inch metal rod known as a “switch” to beat her, all in rhythm with ‘Blurred Lines.” This beating came after Fillingim struck his daughter in the face with both a belt and his hands, forced her to shovel dirt for over an hour, and had her stand for a prolonged period holding a 20-pound weight in front of her.

To make matters worse, Fillingim reportedly took a cell phone video of the beating and sent it to his girlfriend. Titled “She’s Home,” the video did not show the victim’s face, but documents assault that is consistent with the victim's injuries.

Fillingim’s girlfriend Lisa Coleman showed the video to the investigating officer, and has since broken up with him. During her communication with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Coleman expressed that she was afraid of Fillingim, and was provided with information on filing an injunction.

The victim, unnamed because of her age, reportedly sustained bruising across her upper thighs and arm, and was released to her mother’s custody. Both the victim and Fillingim’s girlfriend received information on domestic violence services, and the Department of Children and Families was notified. Fillingim was taken to the Escambia County Jail, where he was refused bail. According to The Smoking Gun, he has a hearing set for October 4.

It's creepy enough that this man is beating his young daughter in rhythm to pop music, but when you factor in lyrics like "You're a good girl / I know you want it," this situation becomes truly skin-crawling. While it’s unlikely that ‘Blurred Lines’ inspired Stephen Fillingim’s violence, it is telling that it was used as the backdrop for this heinous abuse.