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Video Depicts Toddler Navigating San Francisco’s Open-Air Drug Scene
A disturbing video has emerged showing a young child navigating what appears to be an open-air drug market in San Francisco. The footage, shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday by the three-year-old’s father, Andrés Wiken, captures the girl riding her scooter along a city sidewalk reportedly populated by individuals experiencing homelessness and drug addiction.
Father Posts Video, Sparking Debate on City Conditions
In the clip recorded by Wiken, his daughter is seen attempting to maneuver her scooter down the street. The father’s camera also focuses on individuals present, with one appearing to hold drug paraphernalia. A woman’s voice can be heard encouraging the child, who seems momentarily hesitant. Wiken then reassures his daughter, saying, “Keep going, you’re good!”
Public Officials Called Upon to Address Concerns
Wiken, in his post, directly addressed the San Francisco Police Department, Mayor Daniel Lurie, and District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder. He urged them to view the video, expressing his frustration with what he described as the “nightmarish conditions” his family has encountered. “My 3 year old baby,” Wiken stated, adding, “We just got back to SF after 2 weeks in Guadalajara, I did not want to return.”
He further questioned, “This is where we live! Where is @SFPD @SFPDChief @DanielLurie @JackieFielder_. Our politicians are not serious people. Lock these drug dealers up and mandate jail or rehab NOW,” reflecting his demand for immediate action to address the situation.
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Her father, Andres Wiken, posted the controversial clip to X on Monday as one man (far left) appeared to be holding drug paraphernalia in his hand while his daughter rode past
In late March, Wiken posted a video of himself outside his home while a man laid on the ground, surrounded by paramedics
Online Reactions Mixed: Parenting Choices Questioned
The video quickly drew varied reactions online, with many commenters questioning Wiken’s decision to allow his child to be in such an environment. One comment stated, “This is awful – but surely there are much better places in the area to take a toddler to ride her scooter.”
Wiken defended his actions, explaining that this is the reality of their neighborhood in the Bay Area. “This is our front porch, our sidewalk, we can’t leave, we live here. Are [we] supposed to go where richer liberals live?” he responded. He asserted, “This is real life in SF and these drug addicts need to be arrested and forced into treatment or face jail time.”
Another user criticized his parenting, saying, “And you just got her walking the streets, not holding her hand all so you can get a video. Worst parenting I’ve ever seen.” Wiken retorted, “We are horrible parents for walking our daughter to the nearby park and escorting her while riding a scooter? Sorry that showing our reality makes you hate us.”
Further criticism followed, with one person suggesting, “Pick your kid up bro,” to which Wiken replied, “kids have a right to play outside!”
A three-year-old girl was seen scootering down a sidewalk consumed by drug addicts and homeless people in San Francisco, California
As Wíken recorded his child, he showed her trying to make her way down the block while also turning the camera directly at vagrants
Commenters quickly dashed to his post and questioned why he would even have his child over there in the first place
Wiken further elaborated, “I tried but she cried cause she wanted to ride her scooter bro. This is our block, we live above this. Kids have the right to play outside!”
One commenter suggested the child perceived danger, stating, “Your 3 year old had more sense of fear than you did, stop filming, pick up your child, and run home.” Wiken rejected this advice, responding, “Run home and stay locked in our apartments? I prefer to face fear and look it in the face and show people like you that it’s OK to show these junkies we aren’t afraid of them. That’s why they thrive because SF residents are f***ing scaredy cats with no pride.”
Another user cautioned, “While it’s important to raise awareness, the content is not worth the safety of your child.”
Support for Father’s Concerns Regarding San Francisco Conditions
Despite the criticism, some individuals supported Wiken, agreeing that more needs to be done to address the escalating issues in the city. One user commented, “Anyone who lives in the homeless, drug and dealing rotation zip codes knows nothing is being done. It’s sad that some residents think things are getting better when they’re not.”
Another person suggested relocating, “That is awful, I’m so sorry. Not sure what you do for a living, but I’d get out of there. Anywhere. It seems SF doesn’t have the will to change this.”
Wiken responded that he “loves SF so much,” but admitted, “We can leave and we do, we just come back to give SF another shot every other year and it’s just worse tbh (to be honest) and the older I get the more I realize how pathetic our leaders are.” Another comment summarized the situation as “What a horrific embarrassment San Francisco is.”
Past Social Media Posts Documenting City Issues
This is not Wiken’s first instance of using social media to document the conditions outside his residence. Earlier in the month, he posted a video showing young children on the sidewalk near a group of individuals described as drifters. “This is how we protest. Sorry for the poverty porn,” he captioned the post.
In late March, Wiken also shared footage of paramedics attending to a man on the ground outside his home.
Wiken, who frequently posts about the conditions outside his home, is seen with his family
Drug addicts are seen camped out on a street corner in the Tenderloin area of San Francisco on March 26, 2025
Describing the scene, Wiken stated, “Happened out in front of my house. All day everyday! SF government don’t give a f***,” further adding, “Letting these fools die – that’s how it goes.”
DailyMail.com reportedly contacted Wiken for comment but had not received a response at the time of reporting.
San Francisco’s Ongoing Challenges
Areas of San Francisco, notably the Tenderloin district, are known for significant urban decay and social issues. These conditions have reportedly led to staffing shortages for local businesses and prompted residents to relocate. The city’s retail sector has been significantly affected, with store closures in Union Square due to theft. Macy’s, a long-standing fixture in Union Square since 1947, announced the closure of this location and 150 other underperforming stores the previous year. Employees at the store reported frequent apprehensions for suspected shoplifting, averaging around 12 per shift.