A 2-year-old girl with a rare condition that affects her appearance, learning abilities and motor skills has become the target of Instagram cyber bullies.
Mariah Anderson recently celebrated her second birthday in Summerville, South Carolina, and was all smiles throughout the occasion, reports WCBD. So when the girl’s mother, Kyra Pringle, shared a shot online from her beaming daughter’s big day, she never imagined there would be a negative reaction.
Anderson was born with Chromosome 2p duplication syndrome, a condition that has affected her development and physical appearance. Unfortunately, when some Instagram users saw Pringle’s picture of her daughter, they did not celebrate the toddler, but instead teased her.
Several users posted memes using Pringle’s photo that poked fun at the toddler’s looks, insinuating that Anderson was ugly or resembled a leprechaun. Sick of seeing her baby girl being bullied by online trolls, Pringle decided to speak out against everyone making the memes and those enjoying them.
“The smile that you guys think is funny or the smile that you guys are comparing to a leprechaun,” Pringle told WCBD. “The things you guys are saying about my child, she’s not a monster, she’s real.”
Pringle hopes her words will help put an end to the harassment so she and her family can return to enjoying their time with Anderson which, because of her condition, could be limited.
“She’s just a joy, it’s a joy to have her right now,” said Kyra Pringle.
This article originally appeared on People.com.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Breaking Down the 2024 Election Calendar
- How Nayib Bukele’s ‘Iron Fist’ Has Transformed El Salvador
- What if Ultra-Processed Foods Aren’t as Bad as You Think?
- How Ukraine Beat Russia in the Battle of the Black Sea
- Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
- How Project 2025 Would Jeopardize Americans’ Health
- What a $129 Frying Pan Says About America’s Eating Habits
- The 32 Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2024
Contact us at letters@time.com