Teen Wendy’s manager arrested for tying neurodivergent worker to a grill

23 Sep 2026 • 2:29 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Teen Wendy’s manager arrested for tying neurodivergent worker to a grill

  • Former Wendy's manager Michiko Burton, 19, was charged with simple assault and false imprisonment after allegedly tying a neurodivergent employee to a grill with garbage bags in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
  • Burton claimed the August 30 incident was part of a TikTok trend, but a coworker and the victim's family rejected the excuse, describing the act as dehumanizing.
  • A fellow employee recorded the incident after Burton reportedly stated she did not want to babysit the worker, prompting Wendy's franchisee to fire her.
  • Police reopened the case at the request of the victim's family, leading to an investigation by the Special Victims Unit and Adult Protective Services.
  • Burton was released on a $2,000 bond and is set to appear in court on October 22, while the victim's family considers legal action.

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