16-year-old niece steals aunt's phone to play divorce prank on uncle, protests when they want to take away her 17th birthday gift in response: 'She was smiling and giggling'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Jun 9, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Family relationships are often some of the closest bonds that people will ever experience, but that doesn't mean that they are always a walk in the park. Everybody messes up occasionally, even with those they love. What is even worse is that many actively choose to betray the trust of their relatives for their own ends, completely upending relationships and family dynamics. Even in the most secure relationships, all it takes is one stupid mistake or malicious action to erode the trust and care between family members.

Unfortunately, this is something that some people do not realize until it's too late, and then they are not happy when they face the consequences for their actions. This is especially true for those who are younger and have a life lesson or two to learn about how to behave around others. It might not be pleasant, but it is a necessary response. 

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  • 01

    WIBTA if I go low contact with my niece and take back her gifts?

    So yesterday I went over to my sister's house to help her with some things. I was there for a couple of hours and took a little nap for, like, four hours because I was tired. After I woke up, I went home and my husband was being a little off and seemed kind of upset/unhappy. I'm like, what's up and he says, I'm being nice for someone who just texted what I did. I sent my kids upstairs and started asking what the h I was going on. He says I sent him divorce texts. I'm shocked because I never did
    via ThrowRA-stacksnRice
  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10515463936
    via Johnny Cohen

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • One aunt felt like she had no choice but to react harshly when her teenage niece decided to play a prank on her and her husband. After the couple had an argument, her niece had taken her phone and texted him that she wanted to initiate a divorce.

    Her husband was understandably upset by these texts, and once they figured out the misunderstanding, the niece and her mom were reluctant to uncover the truth. Once the 16-year-old admitted to it, her aunt was considering revoking the birthday gifts they had planned for her and having less contact with her in general. She wondered if she was being too harsh.

  • 03
    divorce. I was bamboozled because not only did I not think it, but I definitely did not text that. This affected him a little more because we had a fight the previous night, but we have a tradition of sorts, which is reassuring each other that we still love and care but are just upset at the moment. I'm only adding this because I said something along those lines in the morning before I left, which I brought up when I was defending myself against the text I supposedly sent. He then says I had don
    via throwRA-stacksnRice
  • 04
    Anyway, after we bicker for a little bit, I decide to call my sister and explain what was happening, and then I'm like, hey, can you pull up your house footage from while I was there this morning?" We're on facetime, and we fast forward to when I went to sleep. The outlet in the room I was in wasn't working, so I had plugged my phone in the dining area to charge while I slept. We see my 16-year-old niece on my phone; she was on it off and on for like 2.5 hours, smiling and giggling. I'm upset, a
    via throwRA-stacksnRice
  • 05
    She started apologizing and saying it was supposed to be a prank and she didn't mean anything by it. She called out to me too with apologies while she was crying. My sister is one of those silent when angry types, so she wasn't saying anything. I did not even know what to say at all at this time because why would she even think this was a fun prank, not to mention going into my phone without my permission. How she knows my password, I'm not sure because it's not simple or related to me. I had in
    via throwRA-stacksnRice
  • 06
    My question is, will I be overreacting if I take all these gifts back and keep a distance from her? Is it overkill? I feel maybe I'm punishing her for the way my husband reacted and brought up something traumatic for me. Also maybe his response is justified because he thought the texts were from me, and then I was all smiley and sweet when I came back. I'm confused on how to proceed, but reddit has previously helped figure stuff out before, so I decided to turn to them again. Sorry if this was t
    via throwRA-stacksnRice
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10515464448
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 08

    Commenters agreed that the teenager needed to see some consequences for her actions.

    Short-Classroom2559 She's old enough to know that sh wasn't funny. I'd ask for community service in lieu of grounding/punishment and I'd return all the gifts. What a sh thing to do. She's only crying now because she got caught. NTA
    via Short-Classroom2559
  • 09
    Academic_Bed_5137 Exactly!! Actions have consequences!
    via Academic_Bed_5137
  • 10
    NextAffect8373 I wouldn't spend one dime on her. She needs to learn actions have consequences. NTA
    via NextAffect8373
  • 11
    pixyfire NTA. Take back the computer and get your money back and don't give her any money. She's 16. She knew it wasn't funny and she carried on for 2 and 1/2 hours telling YOUR husband you wanted a divorce. Don't give her anything.
    via pixyfire
  • 12
    jam7789 NTA. Pretending to be you and telling your husband you wants a divorce is not a funny prank. She needs some consequences.
    via jam7789
  • 13
    Fun-Yellow-6576 YWNBTA. Return the gifts, cancel your support of the party. Change all your passwords on all your devices.
    via Fun-Yellow-6576
  • 14
    Susanrkat She's a very immature 16 year old that needs to learn about repercussions. So no, don't fund the party and do return the laptop. She shown just how little she respects your privacy and your life. It may have been a harmless joke to her but it was truly hurtful. I wonder how many other people she's done this sort of thing to? If you are the first nip it in the bud. If you're not then some real discussions need to take place.
    via Susanrkat
  • 15
    auntmilky NTA 17 is old enough to know that what she did was malicious. She threw a bomb in your life and then tried lying to cover it up. I would not go out of my way to do anything for her, at least not for a while.
    via auntmilky
  • 16
    JustAslCanBeSoCruel NTA, and not overreacting. She needs to rebuild this relationship and trust because she did something incredibly vile - she is turning 17 years old. She knows better. The fact she had the nerve to actually take your phone and send those messages, and then LIE. You need to tell her mother what damage this has done to you and that you will be taking a step back from your relationship with her daughter for the next couple months - that you can't pay in good conscious for her par
    via JustAsICanBeSoCruel
  • 17
    NTA webtin-Mizkir-8quzme This is the behavior of an unstable person. She's not a child, and she knew better. Otherwise, she would have been fine when your sister asked and let her in on the "joke". She knew she was wrong and lied. She's proven she's not someone who is safe to be around, and you don't need your children to be around her
    via webtin-Mizkir-8quzme
  • 18
    NTA. Strange Jackfruit_89 She's 16, not 12. She is old enough to know better. She lied about it repeatedly and only cried when she realized she was caught. No gifts. She needs to learn that actions have consequences!
    via Strange_Jackfruit_89
  • 19
    LoveCharmy_ Totally get why you'd want to pull back that "prank" crossed a line. It wasn't funny, it was hurtful and invasive. You're not overreacting at all.
    via LoveCharmy_
  • 20
    No-You5550 She has to have hard consequences now for her own good. Cancel the party and return the computer. If she doesn't learn now she could cause a lot of pain to others in the future. Take the money you were going to spend on her and hire a babysitter and you and husband go out for a date night. This is fair her prank caused problem in your marriage the money for her computer helps heal that damage. Fair consequences.
    via No-You5550
  • 21
    Crisp_white_linen The niece needs to see a therapist to figure out why she would do something so harmful as a "joke." The niece also ought to have sit down with her mom, her aunt, and aunt's husband and explain herself and apologize. She should be asked to think of how she could atone and earn back everyone's trust. Aunt should return or donate niece's gifts and should not pay for or attend the niece's birthday party. No rewarding bad behavior. It would also potentially be worthwhile to find out
    via Crisp_white_linen
  • 22
    eviltinycreatures NTA. This 16 year old, driving age child could have just ruined your life in more ways than one. How many apps did she use? Social media? Did she delete or add anything? Who else did she contact?
    via eviltinycreatures
  • 23
    chocolatechipwizard I would return any gifts and not be present for her birthday celebration. She would be relegated to "distant relative" status. No gifts, no individual communication, no acknowledgement of anything personal. Not only did she do something cruel, she repeatedly lied when she thought she could get away with it. Toxic little loser.
    via chocolatechipwizard
  • 24

    The aunt updated everybody on the situation.

    Update: Thank you, everyone, for all the comments and advice. It is incredibly appreciated. All these happened yesterday; I only posted because I was slightly conflicted. To answer common questions in the comments: Yes, I slept for four hours at my sister's house; she's my sister, and we do stuff like that. I didn't say I was tired from what I helped her with; I was simply just tired. Both my sister and niece weren't aware of my husband's and my fight from the previous night. Niece also was not
    via ThrowRA-stacksnRice
  • 25
    Also, according to my sister, she has gone into my phone before, at least three times that she fessed up to. She has transferred money to herself, taken videos and pictures off it, gone through my texts with my kids and some other relatives, stolen other people's numbers, gotten passwords for my streaming services that they didn't own, and gone through my other texts with my husband. And yes, there's very nsfw stuff in there. My husband is okay. We talked, and he apologized for how he spoke to m
    via ThrowRA-stacksnRice
  • 26
    Back to the niece, the only other thing she did according to her, was transfer more money. I checked my recently deleted texts, and there was nothing suspicious there, but I don't know if you can delete texts from recently deleted. She also said she thought the prank would be funny because there was no way my husband would believe all that stuff she texted because, according to her, he loves me too much and we have a perfect relationship. In the texts, he had only replied that we would talk when
    via ThrowRA-stacksnRice
  • 27
    Personally, I do not want to lay eyes on her in the near future. Oh, and yes, she has done this before to one of her friends whom she is still friends with. I don't know why anyone would remain friends with someone like that. This hurt a lot because I love this child so much; I was more present than her father the first 11 years of her life. She used to come to me for her struggles and problems and all that teenage stuff. She had her first period at my house. Her other cousins on her dad's side
    via ThrowRA-stacksnRice

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aita marriage birthday texts niece relationships aunt uncle divorce prank family sister reddit thread no contact Reddit
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