Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing,’ delving deep into how complex the world of a minor internet personality can be, we get a documentary series unlike any other. After all, it underscores the online industry’s disturbing, shadowy underbelly by focusing on teen star Piper Rockelle, her Squad, her momager Tiffany Smith, and her director-editor Hunter Hill. Amongst those to thus play a significant role in this original production were Piper’s cousins, former squad members, and once kidfluencers themselves — sisters Claire and Reese RockSmith.
Claire and Reese RockSmith Always Wanted to be a Part of the Entertainment World
On May 24, 2008, Claire RockSmith was born to Austin, Texas, native Ashley Rock Smith, followed by the birth of Reese RockSmith three years later on June 29, 2011. They seemingly didn’t have the most normal childhood, yet things began looking up once their mother came across Patience Smith of Canton, Georgia, and the two fell head over heels for each other. Once they realized they were meant to be, Ashley and Patience tied the knot a short while later, resulting in the 4 of them being a truly happy, blended family with affection, care, love, and support at the center of their interpersonal bonds.
Therefore, Ashley and Patience knew all about Claire’s deep passion for entertainment, especially as she had made it clear she was open to being both in front of and/or behind the cameras. Even her younger sister Reese was interested in acting, so of course, when they found out that kidfluencer Piper Rockelle was actually their cousin through marriage, they were over the moon. However, what made them happiest when they did meet her later on was that she was just like them – a normal girl with normal interests – resulting in the trio getting along like peas in a pod.
Thus, understandably, they were a bit heartbroken once Tiffany and Piper announced they were relocating to California in 2017, yet they were still excited to see what their cousin would achieve next. Claire and Reese kept in contact with her through not only calls and texts but also her videos, so they knew her experiences and were glad to be a part of them when given the opportunity. It was when the COVID-19 pandemic struck after the RockSmiths had moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, that they decided to visit Los Angeles, where the sisters began their YouTube journey too.
Claire and Reese Claim to Have Been Sexually Assaulted by Their Aunt
Neither Claire nor Reese said anything while they were in California or even after their parents suddenly had them pack their bags to return home upon noticing some strange behavior by Tiffany. For Ashley and Patience, the way the latter’s sister allegedly had the kids working for hours on end without any breaks, tutors on set, or safety precautions was more than enough. They were also uncomfortable with the way she reportedly lost her cool at every little inconvenience, yet they had no idea until months later that she had also allegedly been sexually inappropriate with the girls.
It was only when the parents of 11 former Squad members decided to file a lawsuit against Tiffany and her partner-turned-Squad editor-director Hunter that these allegations came to light. According to Claire’s claims, her aunt had once woken her up by essentially straddling her on all fours, claiming to be a mountain goat who then played with her spit right over her face. On the other hand, with Reese, Tiffany allegedly once took on the persona of Lenny the Cat and attempted to grab her until she was scared enough to lock herself in a bathroom.
As per Reese, who was 9 years old at the time, her aunt — as Lenny — allegedly even threatened to expose herself to her, yet she somehow managed to get away while shielding her eyes without seeing anything. Both Claire and Reese admitted they thought this was normal since Tiffany allegedly behaved like this with others, too, including her own daughter Piper, yet they gradually realized it was just wrong. They divulged on the show that their only regret is not saying anything sooner about the alleged instances and leaving their cousin behind. Claire and Reese still miss Piper even though they haven’t talked in years.
Claire and Reese Have Largely Stepped Away From the Limelight
While its true that both Claire and Reese had established a significant online presence during their time with their cousin in California, it began fizzling down once they left her Squad. This, combined with their own experiences of not just the alleged abuse at the hands of their aunt but also online bullying by trolls, also took a toll on their motivation and drove them to step away from social media. Claire did participate in BrandonTV’s ‘Snowbound’ in 2023, but she has since preferred to remain on the down low and separate herself from everything that has to do with entertainment.
In fact, the last video Claire posted on her YouTube channel was back in July 2022, and she has also not been as active on other platforms like Instagram and TikTok – she now only shares brief glimpses of her life. Coming to Reese, she has followed in her sister’s footsteps and reduced her posting by a lot, so all we know is that she is a horseriding enthusiast and loves spending quality time with family whenever possible. She and her elder sister seem to be especially close with their uncle.
As for Claire, apart from being family-oriented too, we know she is the Founder of iCare by Claire, an upcoming platform through which she seemingly hopes to help others understand they are never alone in anything. She is also still best friends with fellow former Squad member Sophie Fergi (Piper’s ex-best friend) despite the latter residing in California while she is based out of Nevada. They are long-distance, yet they make it work by not only keeping in constant touch and meeting whenever possible but also taking vacations together. Honestly, the teenage sisters appear proud to be where they are today, which is all that matters in the long run.
Read More: Raegan Beast: Where is Piper Rockelle Squad’s Ex-Member Now?
