> At a Glance
> – Brittanii Lehman’s 16-year-old daughter, Talia, walked into her room at 10 p.m. holding a live opossum
> – The Missouri family routinely catches and releases the animals that raid their garage
> – TikTok clip of the moment has topped 5.8 million views
> – Why it matters: A teen’s gentle approach to backyard pests shows how one family balances protecting pets and respecting wildlife
When Brittanii Lehman heard her bedroom door creak open around 10 p.m. last November, she expected a sleepy good-night-not her daughter cradling a wild opossum. The unexpected encounter, captured on video, has since captivated millions online.
Midnight Critter Call
Talia spotted the opossum napping on a storage-tub shelf inside the garage and decided to give her parents an unforgettable show-and-tell. The resulting footage, posted to Lehman’s TikTok with the caption asking if anyone else’s teenager delivers possums after dark, has racked up 5.8 million views and counting.
Catch-and-Release Routine
Opossums visit the family garage almost nightly to steal cat food, so Talia has become the household wrangler. She and her father, Brandon, trap each intruder and drive a couple of miles away to set it free in nearby woods.
- Motivation: protect backyard chickens
- Method: gentle capture, relocation 1-2 miles out
- Body count: the animals have killed four or five chickens, yet Talia refuses to harm them
Big Love for Wildlife
Lehman says her daughter “has such a big love for animals,” handling every capture calmly and releasing the opossums unharmed. Even after losing several chickens to the nightly visitors, Talia insists on humane treatment.
| Opossum Activity | Family Response |
|---|---|
| Food raids in garage | Set live traps |
| Chicken attacks | Relocate 1-2 miles away |
| Surprise midnight appearances | Film for TikTok fame |
Key Takeaways
- One teen’s late-night curiosity produced a viral moment with 5.8 million views
- The family balances protecting pets with humane wildlife control
- Talia’s gentle approach turns backyard pests into social-media stars
The Lehman household now expects both possums and phone lights at the ready, proving that even uninvited guests can spark online gold.
