A nanny's worst fear became a reality when she discovered the father of the family she worked for has been spying on her. Overwhelmed by fear and feeling violated, she reported the incident to the police and later shared her experience publicly online.
"I was a nanny for Bethancourt AC and Heating," Alyssa Glavan revealed on TikTok. "I recently saw a (Facebook) post ... about a local AC company, the man in charge getting 11 counts of video voyeurism. Whoever posted it has the story mixed up. So I was their nanny, and I'm gonna attach receipts."
The man in question is Jonathan Bethancourt, a 31-year-old father of the children Glavan cared for as a nanny. "One day, I was using the bathroom, and I looked in front of me," Glavan recalled. And I saw a smoke detector ... in the bottom of the closet in the bathroom."
When A Nanny's Worst Fear Comes True
Displaying a photo of the exact smoke detector discovered in the Bethancourt residence, Glavan indicated the miniature camera positioned on its face. Removing the device from the wall, Glavan examined it closely, discovering an SD card and QR code on its rear.
Upon scanning the code, Glavan was startled when a "security spy cam" appeared on her phone, verifying the presence of a concealed camera. At that point, Glavan became certain that someone in the family was actively spying on her while she used the bathroom.
@alyssa.glavan Deleted and reposted to remove screenshot. To see the buisness look up Bethancourt AC and heating.
♬ original sound - Alyssa Glavan
Continuing childcare duties, Glavan notified the child's parent of a contrived medical crisis, necessitating immediate alternate care. The discovery of the hidden camera and subsequent police involvement were omitted from this communication.
"The detectives went through the stuff. He got charged with 11 counts of video voyeurism, which is just from that one camera that he had in the bathroom that I was using," she said. "But I do believe that they're still investigating," Glavan continued. She even posted a recording of Jonathan Bethancourt's confession."
In a subsequent video, the nanny disclosed that the homeowner attempted to silence her with a monetary offer in exchange for her silence about the hidden camera. Law enforcement intervened, resulting in the homeowner's arrest and a bail release.
@alyssa.glavan This community needs to do better
♬ original sound - Alyssa Glavan
"Now I'm just left here wondering, is he just going to run around free? What is he doing with these videos he has of me? Are they gonna hire another nanny and act like nothing happened?" she added. "They're functioning their AC business, going in people's houses still, currently, like nothing ever happened."
NBC15 reported that the Slidell, Louisiana, Police Department obtained and executed a search warrant at the Bethancourt residence after Glavan presented the hidden camera and uncovered an additional concealed camera, along with other incriminating materials.
Evidence also suggests that Bethancourt operated cameras at his Slidell home and an Orange Beach, Alabama, condominium.
Glavan's ordeal is horrifying, and while nanny cams are common for monitoring children and nannies, bathroom placement is a blatant privacy violation.
Detecting Hidden Cameras
So how can you protect yourself from a similar predicament? Here are some tips:
1) Conduct A Physical Inspection
If you suspect you are in a location with hidden cameras, thoroughly inspect your surroundings. Look for any objects that seem out of place or have been repositioned. Pay particular attention to items commonly used to disguise cameras, such as clocks, smoke detectors, wall decor, and USB chargers.
2) Check For Lights
Another method for quickly locating a hidden camera involves checking for lights. Create the darkest environment possible by waiting for nighttime, closing blinds, and turning off or unplugging all trusted light sources. Carefully examine the room for any objects emitting light. While not all devices do, some hidden cameras may have a small LED light that blinks or shines in the dark.
3) Employ A Flashlight
In certain situations, using a flashlight can help detect hidden cameras. As with the previous method, it creates a dark environment. Subsequently, shine the flashlight around the room, carefully observing any minute reflections. These reflections might appear blue or purple and originate from a small camera lens. Upon noticing a reflection, closely examine the object to confirm if it's a hidden camera.
4) Inspect Mirrors For Hidden Cameras
Some individuals conceal cameras behind two-way mirrors. Fortunately, a simple test can determine whether a mirror is genuine or disguised. Position your fingertip against the mirror's surface and observe the gap between your finger and its reflection.
A visible gap indicates a real mirror, while a seemingly touching finger and reflection suggest a potential two-way mirror with a hidden camera. Additionally, knocking on the mirror can reveal a hollow sound if it's a two-way mirror, unlike the solid sound of a genuine mirror.
5) Utilise Your Smartphone Camera
Many hidden cameras emit infrared light during operation, invisible to the human eye but detectable by smartphone cameras. To test your phone's infrared detection capability, use a TV remote. Point your phone camera at the remote's end; a purple or white light burst indicates infrared detection, according to a blog post on Norton's official website.
Usually, the front-facing camera works best, as rear cameras often have infrared filters. If successful, create a dark room and scan for infrared light sources using your phone's camera.
Unfortunately, the use of hidden cameras to invade people's privacy is not new. However, knowing how to detect these devices can significantly reduce the risk of being a victim. In fact, many offenders are eventually caught.
For example, in 2023, a former doctor was jailed and fined £51,000 for secretly filming a patient. Additionally, a stepfather was imprisoned in 2020 for secretly recording his stepdaughter in the bath since she was 14 years old.
Understanding how hidden cameras operate and where they might be placed can significantly reduce your risk of becoming a victim. Remember, staying informed is the first step towards protecting your personal space.
