Frederick County Assistant State's Attorney Lindy Angel said that an investigation into the Martins began in April after "various sources" alerted the Frederick County Sheriff's Office to Michael Martin's YouTube channel, "DaddyOFive." In more than 300 now-deleted videos, the Martins were seen destroying an Xbox, and berating and cursing at two of their five children. In other videos, Michael Martin is seen pushing his son Cody Martin into a bookcase, giving him a bloody nose and ordering one of his stepsons to slap his daughter, Emma Martin, in what he deemed a game.