‘Proud trans’ TikTok star Rachel Queen Burton is ‘gross’ paedophile, court told

TikTok star Rachel Queen Burton gained thousands of followers for being a “proud trans” woman but she was hiding a terrible secret.

Rachel Queen Burton has thousands of views on her TikTok page where she shares details of her life as a “proud trans” woman.

But what her unsuspecting fans don’t know is that she’s a predatory paedophile who repeatedly abused two young children.

Burton identified as a man when the abuse occurred and when their mother found out she took them and fled.

Burton then stalked the family and in order to escape him they were forced into homelessness. He then transitioned to life as a woman amassing more than 30,000 followers on TikTok with videos of travel and new false nails.

Rachel Queen Burton.

The abuse occurred while Burton identified as a man.

Burton, who is 44, and from Coolalinga in the Northern Territory, was arrested in October 2022 and charged with child abuse and exploitation offences.

Initially she denied the allegations but later pleaded guilty to aggravated counts of producing and possessing child exploitation material, gross indecency and indecent assault.

The offences occurred at various regional SA locations in 2019, the Adelaide Advertiser reports.

On Tuesday, the two victims and their mother read out powerful victim impact statements in court while Burton listened, sobbing, via video link from a men’s prison.

“You are a gross, phony, self-indulgent thing who has cheated my children out of so much, and took it away from them without care,” the mother said.

Child abuser Rachel Queen Burton has more than 30,000 followers on Instagram. Picture TikTok

“In your online rants, you showed no remorse for your bad behaviour, all while knowing what you had done … getting an audience for your false life was far more important.

“You can wear any mask you like, but the truth is out and everybody knows who you really are, finally.”

The mother said that, after she discovered Burton’s abuse, she and the children fled but were followed.

She recalled staying in a police-issued safe house until Burton “showed up at the window, peering in”, causing them to flee again.

“No food, scared children, too scared to go anywhere, never knowing if you could find us … when the children did sleep, nightmares haunted them,” she said.

“Being homeless was extremely gruelling, the worrying was relentless, but you were online having the time of your life.

Burton’s victims read powerful impact statements in court on Tuesday. Picture TikTok

“The guilt I feel (is indescribable) … how did I miss you stealing their joy? But we were all betrayed, tricked and lied to.

“You are the monster, you make me feel sick to my stomach.”

The youngest victim sat next to the prosecutor as she read her statement to the court.

“I was happy before you broke the rules, I didn’t know what was going on at the time, I feel angry at you for doing the wrong thing to me,” she said.

“I felt like a bird trapped in a cage, all I wanted was to be free … I still worry that you will find me.”

The second victim said his life became “terrible” as a result of Burton’s abuse, leaving him suffering from chronic nightmares.

“I’m always worried you are going to turn up somewhere, and this makes me feel terrified,” he said.

The victims’ older sibling said that although they were not sexually abused he had had suffered trauma as a result of Burton’s “repulsive, filthy and vile” crimes.

Burton was remanded in custody for further sentencing submissions in April.