For Real: Exploiting Sandy Hook Victims for Profit

In the wake of the Newstown, Connecticut tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary, as with most tragic events, opportunists begin to crawl out of the woodwork almost immediately. One example is Facebook page designed to look like memorial pages.

Facebook pages that spring up shortly after major news breaks should be considered suspicious at best. Just because it’s on Facebook and has thousands of followers, does not make it legitimate.

Why would people do something like this? Profit! Plain and simple, profit.

Since hearing of the tragedy, my heart has been so heavy. I’ve experienced every range of emotion – I’ve cried, prayed, cursed, questioned God, cried some more. I tried to sleep, but it was as though I could hear the cries of mothers as a very large part of their soul was being torn from them, when they were told their child would not be coming home.

I’ve wanted to do something – anything – to help those babies and their families. I didn’t know what I could possibly do, from Podunk Indiana – then I saw the fake pages and knew there was something I could do about that.

If there’s one thing I do know – it’s the Internet! I rolled up my sleeves and got busy!

The short version of what happens…

Facebook pages have sprung up for each victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. This is an example of the fake page created in the name of Emilie Parker – at the time of this writing, it is 11:40 PM, Saturday. This page shows it was created 6 hours ago. Moments after the names of all the victims were released.

When the father, Robbie Parker issued his statement to the media, he mentioned the Emilie Parker Fund Facebook page – obviously that is the one the family has authorized and the one I trust.

This is what the Emilie Parker Fund page looks like and the link that takes you directly to that page is just below. The person in charge of this page has shared some adorable pictures of Emilie and her family. Pay them a visit, leave them a note and donate to the memorial fund if your heart guides you to do so.

Emilie Parker Memorial Fund Facebook Page (Link)

As you happen across pages that are obviously fake, especially in this case, when it’s tiny children that are being exploited – don’t hesitate to report them.

How to report the fake page to Facebook:

In the upper right portion of the page, just under the header picture – you’ll click on the dropdown menu labeled MESSAGE as shown here:

Click on Report Page – to display an option as shown here:

You can choose the option that is most fitting to the report. Click Continue and that’s it.

There may not be a lot we can do – but we can do our best to keep opportunistic asshats from profiting off such tremendous loss.

Do me a favor!

As you make your way around Facebook and find pages or groups that appear to be for Sandy Hook victims or their families, drop a comment below with the link. I intend to keep an updated page with links to the legitimate pages – should people want to visit and get to know the victims and the lives that should have been.

Leave your comments with the fake pages too! Maybe if enough of us report them, they’ll come down quicker.

Hugz

Gayla

Tina

Kym, exactly! I think some of these people have never had to bury ANYONE or plan a funeral themselves or they would know that even though you don’t want to think of it. YOU HAVE TO because again until you come up with the money, your loved one sits in a morgue. sorry but I would beg borrow and steal rather than have my baby sit in the morgue.

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Gayla

There is a central page set up for all of Sandy Hook victims. Granted, it may seem odd to have a page set up so soon – but I have seen people who have lost loved ones go into a shock state of sorts. That shock state of mind gets them through the earliest stages – allowing them to tend to what needs to be done. Once the funeral is over and things quiet down, that’s when the reality hits.

I raised my kids as a single mom – I always said I had to remain in control and not panic, until someone responsible enough to help handle the situation was with me – then I would break. It happened twice. When I look back, I don’t know where the strength came from, it just did.

We can never know what the situation is and the people closest to them may have an understanding of their financial situation better – I’d like to think those people saw the need to ask for help. No one ever thinks about having insurance on a healthy 6-year-old, to help cover expenses like these.

Just recently someone I know lost his wife suddenly. She was a healthy, late-30s female and while hanging curtains, she fell dead of a stroke. They didn’t have the money to cover a funeral and burial so she didn’t get a proper burial for several weeks.

Hopefully the page set up for Emilie is not one of profit, but one to help take care of necessary expenses. I can only hope, when all is said and done, that whatever funds remain might be donated to another family in need or to a charity in honor of Emilie.

In the end, the donation page mentioned by the father was set up by someone who KNEW Emilie – not some random asshat looks to profit off such an incredible loss. At least some love went into it.
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