A TikTok star’s family is devastated after claiming that their daughter had been allegedly inducted into a “church-based cult” targeting dancers in Los Angeles.
Former TikTok duo ‘the Wilking Sisters‘ rose to fame in early 2020 when Melanie Wilking, 22, and Miranda Derrick, 25, whose maiden name is Wilking, had the idea to start posting artistic dance videos.
At the time, the sisters had over 2 million followers, before breaking off and going about their own careers in mid-2021.
As the sisters stopped posting together, fans thought something was off with them – sparking rumors of the duo having a fallout.
The situation now appears to be far more concerning, however, as their parents allege a talent agency has held Derrick hostage.
The Wilking family speaks out
On February 24, Melanie, along with her parents Kelly and Dean Wilking posted a video to Instagram praying for Derrick’s safety and return home, alleging that she has been held hostage” by a talent management agency that operates under the name “7M Films.”
“Miranda is part of a religious group and she’s not allowed to speak to us,” Melanie said in the video, which now sits at over 270,000 views.
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The sister’s detachment from her family supposedly began after she intended to fly back home from Los Angeles, California, to Michigan for her grandfather’s funeral.
The family said they had flown out to Los Angeles to see where she was staying during the months-long absence in an effort to reunite.
After the family’s attempt to meet with the daughter, Derrick allegedly cut all ties and blocked her entire family, including her grandmother.
“She got married and we don’t even know when she got engaged,” Miranda’s mom said. “I don’t know who officiated the wedding, I don’t know who was in attendance, I don’t even know anything about it.”
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So is Miranda being held hostage by a “cult” management?
The original concern stemmed from Derrick’s family who believed her management had a major role to play involving her absence.
Derrick, along with her husband James, joined 7M Films management in mid-2021, with the “7M” standing for the Pentecostal movement of the Seventh Mountain Mandate.
After an independent investigation by Dexerto, we uncovered an individual who goes by the names Robert Shin and also Robert Shinn.
This individual with multiple aliases directly links Derrick’s management company 7M Films and a Shekinah church that practices the Seventh Mountain Mandate.
Dexerto reached out to Shinn and three of his associates about the allegations against 7M Films to no response. The only representative we were able to reach was Matthew Shinn, who answered but declined to comment.
The Wilking family maintains their daughter is being held hostage and are still looking into getting in contact with her.
Derrick’s sister Melanie said the family is working with local authorities to get answers following the disappearance.
“As of right now, we are choosing to just work on things behind the scenes and with the authorities to get my sister back,” she told Dexerto.
Dexerto reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department, to which no reports were readily available.