A situation inside a Wendy’s restaurant in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has taken a new turn after a video showing an employee tied to kitchen equipment led police to reopen their investigation.
Former manager Michiko Burton, 19, was arrested after investigators say she admitted to tying a neurodivergent employee to a grill during an incident at the restaurant on August 30.
Burton now faces misdemeanor charges of simple assault and false imprisonment, according to police and court information. She was booked into the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on a $2,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on October 22.
The case began with a video recorded inside the Wendy’s on South Church Street.
The employee involved has not been publicly identified. According to investigators, the worker is neurodivergent, and the video showed him with his leg secured to kitchen equipment using garbage bags.
A coworker, Nicholus Murphy, recorded the video after seeing what was happening. He later provided it to police and spoke publicly about why he felt the situation needed further attention.
Murphy told investigators that Burton had said she needed the employee to “stay put” because she had other work to handle in the back of the restaurant.
Burton later gave investigators a different explanation.
According to the police report, she said the incident was part of a TikTok trend and was intended as a joke.
That explanation was disputed by Murphy and the employee’s family, who questioned whether such a trend actually existed.
The video ultimately became an important part of the renewed investigation.
The first investigation did not lead to charges
When Murfreesboro police initially looked into the incident, investigators spoke with the employee involved.
According to police, he told officers that he was not injured and was not upset about what had happened.
Based on the information available at that time, no charges were filed.
Burton was, however, removed from her position.
The Wendy’s franchise owner confirmed that the manager involved had been fired, while an area manager described the conduct as unacceptable during a meeting with employees.
The situation might have ended there if the video had not received additional attention.
But after the footage became more widely known, the employee’s family asked police to take another look at the circumstances.
That request eventually led to the investigation being reopened.
Police take another look at the video
In September, Murfreesboro police began revisiting the case.
Investigators spoke with Murphy and the restaurant’s area manager. Police also contacted the employee to arrange another interview.
The case was referred to Adult Protective Services, while detectives from the department’s Special Victims Unit continued examining the circumstances.
Investigators then obtained a warrant connected to Burton.
Police say that during a September 6 interview, Burton acknowledged that she had tied the employee to a workstation at the restaurant.
She again described the incident as being connected to a TikTok trend.
The investigation subsequently resulted in criminal charges.
What the video shows
The video has become central to the case because it provides investigators with a visual record of what occurred inside the restaurant.
It shows the employee secured to kitchen equipment while other workers were present.
The footage has been altered by news organizations to protect the employee’s identity.
Authorities have not publicly released the employee’s name, and reports have focused on protecting his privacy while the case moves forward.
The employee’s family has said the experience has been extremely difficult for him.
Attorney Isaac Kimes, who represents the family, told local media that the young man seen in the widely circulated video has been struggling with the experience.
The family is also considering whether to pursue additional legal action.
The TikTok explanation remains disputed
One of the most notable questions in the case involves Burton’s explanation that the incident was connected to a TikTok trend.
Murphy has disputed that account.
He told investigators that he did not believe the incident was part of a genuine social-media trend and questioned where the supposed trend or video was.
That disagreement is now part of the broader investigation.
At this stage, authorities have not publicly established that a TikTok challenge actually prompted the incident.
The claim should therefore be treated as Burton’s reported explanation to investigators, rather than as an established fact.
Wendy’s responds
The restaurant’s franchise operator has also addressed the incident.
Wendy’s of Bowling Green, which operates the location, said employee safety and well-being are priorities and that the behavior was inconsistent with the standards expected at its restaurants.
The company said the situation was investigated after management became aware of it and that appropriate action was taken.
Burton is no longer employed at the restaurant.
The company has not indicated that the conduct represented normal workplace practices or an approved activity.
What happens next
The latest development is the criminal case against Burton.
She faces simple assault and false imprisonment, both misdemeanor charges.
Her next scheduled court appearance is October 22 in General Sessions Court.
The charges reflect the allegations being investigated by police and do not represent a final finding of guilt.
Investigators are still examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, while the employee’s family continues to seek answers.
The case also demonstrates how information can change as investigators receive additional evidence.
Initially, police did not file charges after speaking with the employee. Later, a video documenting the incident, renewed attention from the employee’s family and additional interviews led authorities to reopen the investigation.
For the employee involved, the focus now appears to be on moving forward after an experience his family says has been deeply upsetting.
For investigators, the next stage will be determining how the available evidence fits the charges filed against Burton.
And for the restaurant, the incident has already resulted in the removal of a manager and renewed attention on how vulnerable employees are treated in the workplace.
Burton remains accused, and the charges against her have not been proven in court. The case is expected to continue with her October court appearance.