TikTok creator Dakota Harper, 21, appeared in court for a preliminary hearing, and he ended up with his bail being increased after he was arrested for allegedly committing arson in West Side Charleston. The case is going viral on social media. Read on to find out more.
Bail Doubled
WCHS-TV reported on the court appearance and mentioned that his partner, Felicity Eatmon, along with Harper, also faces felony charges of first-degree arson and conspiracy to commit arson.
In court, Harper waived his preliminary hearing, and it was the prosecution who explained to the judge that the crime was violent, so his bail was moved from $10,000 to $20,000.
Eatmon also waived her preliminary hearing, but her bail wasn’t raised and remains at $10,000.
The Alleged Crime
Allegedly, the couple went to the 400 block of Maryland Avenue on September 27, and there, Eatmon handed Dakota Harper a piece of paper. He allegedly used an ignition source on the paper before placing it inside the building.
The fire burned down the property, which was fortunately unoccupied at the time. It also damaged a neighboring Canaan United Methodist Church.
More About the Couple
Harper is a little person and he stands 3 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 43 pounds. He and Eatmon grew a TikTok following of over 26K people.
They became popular for sharing their struggles and also talking about being homeless.
The case has gotten a lot of interest, particularly because of Harper’s size.
As seen on WCHS-TV’s Instagram, more than 22K comments were received.
A Little Person
Unfortunately, many viewers and readers poked fun at his size, something that well-known little people like Dr. Jen Arnold from The Little Couple have often spoken about.
When the outlet reported about the bail increase on YouTube, defense attorney Mike Carey said that he hopes to get Harper into treatment rather than jail.
Outside the court, he said, “We are working to get Dakota into a facility where he has the resources that he’s going to need.” He also plans to file a motion for rehabilitation placement prior to grand jury indictment proceedings.
Family members and other supporters also spoke about Dakota and his aunt said, “It is a mental problem that I have tried to help him with along with everybody else.”
Another supporter said that they were there because, “I’ve seen their struggle… mental illness does matter. I’m a recovering addict myself, I’ve been homeless, I’ve been in their shoes.”
A Stigma Hard To Break
In the comments on YouTube, much like those on Instagram, many gave the impression that they felt shocked or amused by a little person allegedly committing a crime.
The public often misunderstands folks with dwarfism, likening them to clowns or cartoon characters. It’s a stigma that people like Little People, Big World star Matt Roloff tried to break by showing his family’s everyday life on television.
India Times reported that Harper has dwarfism, which is also noted in jail booking records. However, it’s not clear which type of dwarfism he deals with.
The article added, “What is noted by his own attorney, Michael Carey, is that Harper’s condition means he needs specialized care.”
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