Donnalyn Bartolome apologizes over baby-themed photos after backlash: 'It was an honest mistake'

Donnalyn Bartolome just turned 28 and she commemorated the occasion by doing a baby-themed photoshoot, but not everyone was happy about it.

Some say that Donnalyn is allegedly "sexualizing innocence" through her intended birthday photos.

A few hours after she uploaded her birthday photos on Sunday morning, Donnalyn took down the photos as soon as she got a go signal from Facebook and social media managers and penned an apology letter.

"It was an honest mistake, it was never my intention to enable one of the most horrifying acts here on Earth," she wrote with a broken heart emoji.

According to the vlogger, she couldn't remove her post immediately to work on the photos' copyright to prevent it from spreading further online.

She then asked her supporters to help her by "sending the links of the post of anyone who reposted" her birthday photos so she and her team could work on taking it all down.

"Almost a million people across [social media] platforms thought of it light and funny because they know my personality and didn't look at it that way hence our initial reaction to the idea was the same... but upon reading other people's perspective, I completely agree. I feel terrible, sick to my stomach and had disturbing flashbacks I'd rather not say," Donnalyn explained.

She also shared how she was called "overprotective" to all of her siblings, whom she took care of since she was 11, just to prove a point that sexualizing baby-themed photos is the last thing Donnalyn "would ever intend to do."

In the latter part of her Facebook apology, she thanked everyone who made her aware of the criticisms, "especially those who did it so kindly."

"You're the type of people who help me become a better person everyday as I hold the responsibility of influencing millions. It's not easy... but I'll do my best," she added.

The 28-year-old concluded her post by plugging Nayon ng Kabataan for those who'd like to help abused children.

"The children admitted there carry so much pain, you can donate or send them little gifts to make them feel better. Thanks everyone and I'm sorry," she ended.

—Hermes Joy Tunac/MGP, GMA News