19 hours ago
What Mom Does To Keep 13-Year-Old Safe While She Runs: 'This Is America?'
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When Jessica Davila-Alvarez drives her car behind her teenage daughter running in the woods, she is not just supervising the 13-year-old's routine run—she is ensuring safety in a world that many parents believe no longer feels safe.
The Houston-based mom, 34, has found viral recognition for her dedication to her daughter's well-being, sparked by a March 14 TikTok video that has since drawn more than 263,000 likes. The clip, posted by Davila-Alvarez under the handle @justjessoverhere, shows her daughter jogging down an isolated wooded path with the family car rolling slowly behind her. An overlaid text read: "Following my 13-year-old baby girl while she runs her daily 5K."
The video touched a nerve among parents and young runners alike. It earned widespread praise among viewers and sparking conversations around youth safety, parental involvement, and what it means to let children roam freely in 2025.
"I wake up at 5:50 a.m. to take her to practice, and at night, she goes on her runs," Davila-Alvarez told Newsweek. "She runs track and field and cross country for her school so she runs at home to keep up her endurance.
"During the week, she runs anywhere from 1 to 8 miles," the mom of three added.
Davila-Alvarez said the decision to follow her daughter was not made out of paranoia but from practicality—and love.
"We do live in a 'better part' of the city, but, regardless, my daughter is my responsibility," she said. "It is my responsibility as a mother to do my best to keep her safe and make sure she feels comfortable when she goes on her daily runs."
Davila-Alvarez is a stay-at-home mom who shared that she has also shifted the family's focus to wellness and cleaner eating.
"We recently took dyes out of our diets, and we are focusing on whole foods and just being healthier overall," Davila-Alvarez said. "Then I started recording my daughter, with her support and permission—I don't record or post anything she doesn't approve—and people really loved it."
From left: Jessica Davila-Alvarez's teenage daughter runs in Houston, Texas; and the mom sits in her car.
From left: Jessica Davila-Alvarez's teenage daughter runs in Houston, Texas; and the mom sits in her car.
@justjessoverher
The attention, especially from other parents, has been overwhelmingly positive.
"As a teen I would have hated this but as an adult I salute you," one viewer said, while another added: "It's sad that you have to do it but thank you for doing it."
Davila-Alvarez said: "Other parents applauded the support; kids shared beautiful memories of their parents or grandparents doing the same thing; and some kids wished their parents did the same because they are always worried when they go on a run."
While some TikTok users have expressed disbelief that such measures are necessary, with one viewer commenting, "I'm guessing this is America?" Davila-Alvarez said the feedback only underscores how common concerns like her own have become.
"My daughter is not oblivious to the dangers," Davila-Alvarez said. "I show her the stories, show her the women, and I educate her on safety precautions she needs to take while running.
"Even if I'm behind her, I still stress having awareness and being hyper vigilant," Davila-Alvarez added.
While her daughter sometimes runs alone with classmates and under the supervision of school coaches, at-home runs are a different matter.
"At home, she asks that I follow behind her and I'll always be there to make sure she's safe," Davila-Alvarez said.
For now, the family uses their car, though Davila-Alvarez said she hopes for a more-active alternative in the future, as some viewers suggested. She hopes to soon follow behind her daughter in a bike or golf cart.
Davila-Alvarez added that her two sons, both of whom are autistic, require child locks and close supervision, making the car the safest option currently.
"We are currently looking for a way to safely turn this into a family thing where we can tag along with my daughter and be active as a family," she added.
Davila-Alvarez's plan may seem excessive to some, but for many others, it is a reassuring sign of involved parenting in uncertain times.
"I have heard so many stories of runners getting attacked all over the country while they are running alone," Davila-Alvarez said. "And I will do what I can to make sure that doesn't happen with my baby."
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