I am outraged.

[lightningandsnow]

A few months ago, I came across the blog (supposedly) of the mother of a baby girl who was born with a rare and deadly form of cancer. I followed it for several months, read it almost everyday. I signed the guestbook frequently and honestly felt really attached to this family.

Well, I've just found out the website was all a hoax. The girl never existed.

I'm glad there's one less sick child than I thought there was. However, I feel awful - this person was stringing me and so many other people along. I just feel like I was completely used, even though the person responsible for this site never had any personal contact with me.

[TZ]

1. The dark side of the internet

Nobody likes to be emotionally used like that. I tend to take people at their word too, which has gotten me in trouble too.
But you have every right to be upset. People like that are putzes.

[Haole Girl]

2. You know what is really sad?

I knew where your story was going from the very first sentence.

That is depressing in itself, isn't it? (sigh)

[Lil Missy]

3. I hope nobody donated money to her. n/t

[lightningandsnow]

4. That's the sad part.

I think people might have.

[Lil Missy]

5. She can, and should, be prosecuted for fraud if she took money. n/t

[lildreamer316]

6. Whew, that's gonna be some nasty karma.

Ouch.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Wait, is this the one posted awhile back as having died?

[lightningandsnow]

8. No.

There have been other hoaxes like that, but this site never said she died.

However, the "mother" would constantly post about really dramatic and awful stuff happening, like the girl contracting MRSA and sepsis, having pneumonia, having complications from surgery, possibly relapsing, and even being dropped on her head by a student nurse.

It honestly led me to have my doubts once. The thought of it being a fraud crossed my mind briefly, but I figured "No Way!"

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Wow! It is amazing what some people will do for attention

[Duer 157099]

10. Isn't there a syndrome that causes people to do this stuff

Can't think of the name, it's a weird long name, and usually it manifests upon the children of the affected, so that the child ends up becoming very ill or dying (Munchhousen syndrome? something like that) -- I wonder if this is the Internet version, or if it's just a scam to raise money (do they?)

:shrug:

edit: ah, here we go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munchausen_syndrome

I think there was something in The Sixth Sense like that... must be where I got it from

[Manifestor_of_Light]

11. Munchausen's syndrome by proxy.

When the mom takes the kid to the doctor constantly to get attention for herself.

If you go to the doctor and make up illnesses yourself, it's Munchausen's syndrome.

If you use a kid to get the attention, then it's Munchausen's syndrome by proxy.

[lightningandsnow]

12. Munchausen syndrome (by proxy)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munchausen_syndrome

I do think it had something to do with it. If she did ask for donations (I don't recall), I don't think she did it aggressively. I think it was more a ploy for sympathy.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. Munchousen by proxy I think...

I cannot believe what people will do sometimes...