Remember this heartbreaking story from about a week ago?
"This is Victoria Wilcher. She was severely injured after a recent dog attack and according to her family, was asked to leave a KFC restaurant in Mississippi because her injuries were too gruesome for other customers." (Via KHQ-TV)
Well, it turns out, it wasn’t true. Tuesday evening a KFC spokesperson told reporters the company’s two investigations found no evidence the incident occurred. (Via The Washington Post)
Suspicions the story was false started up after anonymous sources told the Laurel Leader-Call the 3-year-old girl's family made up the KFC incident. The sources claimed it was part of a massive fundraising hoax that generated more than $135,000 in cash donations as well as gifts and free surgeries.
Victoria gained national attention earlier this month after her grandmother told reporters the little girl was bullied by the national fast food chain. (Via HLN)
The family recounted that same story on a Facebook page that's been documenting Victoria's recovery from the violent pit bull attack that left the right half of her face paralyzed. It seems that part of the story is true.
But the Laurel Leader-Call pointed out some discrepancies in the KFC claims. The paper reports Victoria's family originally said the girl and her grandmother were thrown out of a KFC that had actually been closed for years.
Victoria's aunt later said it happened at another location near the Jackson, Miss., hospital where the 3-year-old received treatment for her injuries. (Via MSNBC)
But sources debunked that claim too, saying security camera video from that KFC and another location near the hospital doesn't show any children matching Victoria's description entering either restaurant that day.
The anonymous sources also say on the day of the alleged incident, no orders were taken that included both sweet tea and mashed potatoes on the same receipt — which is what Victoria's grandmother said she ordered while they were there. (Via Flickr / El Gran Dee)
But Victoria’s family stuck to its story. A message posted to Victoria'sFacebook page Tuesday read, "I promise its not a hoax, I never thought any of this would blow up the way it has. The article circling the web calling this a hoax is untrue. The article it self [says] the investigation is not complete. It is not over until KFC releases a statement."
Regardless of KFC’s findings during its investigation, the company says it still plans to donate $30,000 to the little girl’s recovery fund. (Via Flickr / Ramesh NG)
