Actress Skai Jackson has found herself more often than not at the center of public conversation, especially following her unexpected pregnancy announcement last summer. However, things have seemingly taken a dark turn for the new mom.
The 23-year-old former Disney star was granted a temporary restraining order against Deondre Burgin, the father of her 3-month old child. She claims he was physically violent with her this past Mother’s Day, attacking her while she was holding their son, Kasai.
This news comes shortly after fellow Disney alum Halle Bailey also filed a restraining order against the father of her son, DDG. As the world rallies around Cassie and Megan thee Stallion, who are both also standing ground against their abusers, these compounding stories open a larger dialogue about women fighting back and demanding their safety. Here’s what to know.
Who Is Deondre Burgin?
Deondre Burgin, also known as Yerkky Yerkky, met Jackson while he was behind bars. Though never confirmed, reports suggest that the couple wrote to each other while he was in prison, as she was the one who bailed him out. He moves pretty silently on the internet, only sometimes sharing OOTD photos or commenting on pop culture news.
Their relationship has had several winding chapters, as Jackson was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery against Burgin after an altercation at Universal CityWalk in Hollywood back in August. Then, just a day after Jackson announced her pregnancy publicly, Burgin was jailed in Cincinnati, Ohio, for attempting to evade arrest, a violation of his parole.
Jackson chose to keep his identity as anonymous as she could while navigating her pregnancy publicly. She has kept details of their relationship under wraps, instead only really speaking to motherhood itself. She shared during her first public outing since giving birth at the 56th NAACP Image Awards Creative Honors, “I love being a new mom. It’s just so exciting. So exciting. I’m here tonight, I’m already missing my baby.”
Skai Jackson Files Restraining Order
According to reports acquired by TMZ, Jackson filed for the restraining order in L.A. County Superior Court. She alleges that while she was holding their child, Burgin grabbed her hair, slammed her head against a car window, and punched her in the face.
Jackson also claims this is not the first time he’s gotten violent with her. She reports instances of choking, slamming her into a wall, destroying her phone, holding her at knifepoint, and demanding her to drink bleach while she was pregnant. Per the legal documents, she told the judge that she endured a six-month period where she would be abused weekly.
A temporary restraining order for Jackson has luckily been granted, just as one has been granted for Halle Bailey. As both new moms fight back to protect their safety and the safety of their sons, they deepen a larger conversation via social media surrounding Black women’s safety. While some have leaned towards victim blaming, many have come out in fierce defense of believing women when they speak up against the silent abuse they’ve endured.