Gerroni, of Brick Township, filmed a TikTok video of himself crying as he drove just after his wife, Kaitlyn Tracey, had been arrested after police said she hit a child in an argument over patriotic sweatpants on the Point Pleasant boardwalk. The sweatpants had the words "ICE" and "Trump" on them, according to NJ Advance Media.
In his video, Geroni explained that Tracey, a 33-year-old Canadian national, was being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As of Wednesday morning, July 15, Tracey was being held at Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, records show.
"I need help. I don't know what to do," said Geroni, whose TikTok handle is copsdrinkplastic40z. "My wife is being detained by ICE. I need an immigration lawyer. I need help. I don't have any money. I'm so f---ing broke, but I gotta figure something out. I need to save her."
In a follow-up video posted after his emotional plea, Geroni said he and Tracey have been married for a little more than three years. She is a Canadian citizen while he is an American citizen, and his goal is to get her released and back to Canada, Geroni said.
What he did not say was why his wife was arrested. But as Geroni's videos spread, commenters quickly connected the dots.
"She hit a child right?" one person wrote.
"Did she actually get arrested for assaulting a child? Cuz that's what I'm hearing," another commented.
"You led us to believe this was an ICE situation. The internet is saying she assaulted a minor. Is that true? Tell us your and her side of that story," another wrote.
According to Point Pleasant police, Tracey was arrested for slapping a girl once in the body and once in the face before walking away on the boardwalk in Point Pleasant on Friday, July 3, police said. She was charged with simple assault, endangering the welfare of a child, harassment, and obstruction.
A GoFundMe campaign that Geroni created seeking financial help was no longer available as of Wednesday morning, July 15.
One commenter defended Tracey's detention fight despite the allegations.
"Regardless of what she did, this is not our legal process for it. She and everyone else there does not deserve to be held there, especially during the heatwave. They do not have AC. I'm a local and so sorry you are both going through this."
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