'I'm ashamed': Grandmother of social media influencer arrested during Philly looting speaks out
PHILADELPHIA - To her followers, she is an influencer nicknamed "Meatball." To police, she is known as the "Livestream Looter." The 21-year-old is out on bail and she will eventually face a judge. But, Thursday, she had to face her grandmother.
Fresh out of a night in jail on charges surrounding Tuesday night’s looting, using her booking photo as her profile pic, Dayjia Blackwell thanked her social media supporters.
Blackwell’s grandmother says she should be saying she is sorry.
"What goes through my mind, as a grandmother, is I’m very ashamed. I’m very ashamed to see my child there, at that time. Number one, she could have gotten hurt," Vashti Fields spoke of her granddaughter, Dayjia Blackwell.
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She wants the world to know, although her granddaughter made a very public mistake by livestreaming and cheering on looters in Tuesday night’s mayhem, there is another side many don’t know about.
"Dayjia is a loving, kind, caring, business-minded go-getter," Fields explained.
Blackwell, who goes by the name "Meatball" on social media told FOX 29 her lawyer advised her not to do interviews. Fields says she’s sickened by all the looting and destruction of local businesses, especially connected to the young woman she helped raise.
"When I see someone of my blood, that has been there while this is happening, and they are saying they are an influencer, that hurts me deeply," Fields said.
Blackwell, one of dozens arrested, is charged with six felonies, including burglary, conspiracy and riot. Fields doesn’t think her granddaughter is guilty of all that, but does say she wants Meatball to publicly apologize by writing a letter to the city and, hopefully, use her voice for good.
"I want her to start a business and, most of all, I want her to be a positive influencer," Fields stated.