I know. This is old news at this point, but I couldn’t help but address it at least once
I, too, like many of you, followed this blog daily.
I prayed for April Rose. I thought about April Rose. I told other people about April Rose. I invested time in April Rose. Heck, her name had “Rose” in it…so I felt connected immediately.
And to think that “April Rose” never existed…makes me so angry that I wasted time and energy and thoughts and emotions on this fictitious character.
When MckMama, Angie, and Raechel came out with their first post about the hokes…I was left confused.mad.upset.dumbfounded. They didn’t give much detail…other than the blog was made up.
I sat and wondered…was it ALL a lie? Was there even a “B”? Was this person actually pregnant? Was a baby born? Was she just lying about her baby being sick?
I was lost. Like most of you I am sure. Thankfully, the trio came out again…with a better explanation of what they knew about the April Rose blog. And NO, there was never even a baby born. If you missed it, which I am sure you didn’t since everybody in the world reads MckMama’s blog, you can click here.
I mean, she even posted THIS picture of herself! Claiming she had just had “pregnancy photos” taken!
I guess this just goes to show you that you really can’t trust people. If you followed “B’, you would have to admit she was pretty damn convincing. I mean, His Will Wednesdays….that’s all I’m gonna say.
But, for someone to take advantage of the blog world the way that she did…is not acceptable. Luckily, I didn’t buy her t-shirts or send her gifts or money. Others did. How did she feel right about accepting those gifts? I just don’t get it.
She did an interview with the Chicago media that you can read here. It doesn’t answer a lot of questions, other than that she admits it was all a lie, but to be honest, I am surprised she fessed up to her actions at all. Especially to the media.
Ok, I’m done venting about this so called “April Rose” situation. Shame on you.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
OMG…I JUST posted about this on my blog today too!!! This is so freaking sad….how could she lie about that stuff?!!! It just goes to show you how desperate people are for attention. I would be interested to see what her “final post” is about.
Jen’s last blog post..Some People Will Do Anything…
I never got into this girl’s blog, but suddenly, I see this everywhere!
What an unbelievable thing to lie about. Very strange situation she has put herself in.
.-= Suzanne´s last blog ..It’s been a year! And I have something to share. =-.
Regarding APRIL ROSE post June 16 2009
By TAMMY WEBBER, Associated Press Writer Tammy Webber, Associated Press Writer – Tue Jun 16, 3:09 am ET
CHICAGO – Rebeccah Beushausen wove a tale for two months about being an unmarried mother who chose to carry her child who is now terminally ill to term rather than have an abortion because of her deep Christian faith.
She posted her story on a blog that got nearly a million hits until one of her followers exposed the lie last week. Now the suburban Chicago woman is apologizing for the hoax.
Beushausen posted a lengthy apology on her blog Sunday, saying she had lost pregnancies in the past.
“I have suffered this type of loss, more than once, to varying degrees, and while the circumstances and the times vary … the pain is very constant,” Beushausen wrote.
She had said her baby was diagnosed with Trisomy 13 syndrome, a chromosomal defect that can cause severe mental retardation and death. Followers promised to pray for her and her baby, April Rose, and sent letters and gifts to a post office box she listed online.
But when she wrote about the child’s birth and posted photos last week, one reader recognized the baby as a lifelike doll.
Jennifer McKinney, of Mound, Minn., followed Beushausen’s blog and helped promote it. She said the apology did not include enough information to explain why Beushausen lied.
“To be honest, I think she is far from recognizing the true gravity of the situation,” said McKinney, who writes a Christian blog that dealt with her own difficult pregnancy.
Beushausen’s sister, Anna, said Monday that the falsehood began before the blog and that her sister has dealt with a lot of pain in her life. She said the blog, which she didn’t learn about until last week, was a way for her sister to work through it.
“I do understand why people are mad, and so does she,” Anna Beushausen said. “I see pieces of her life in there. She is so remorseful, and she is in immense pain.”
Rebeccah Beushausen didn’t respond to an e-mail sent Monday. A woman who answered the phone at a number listed for her mother declined comment.
In her apology, Beushausen said she began writing the story as therapy but became addicted to the attention it generated. She said she lied “to a community of people whose only intention was to support me through this time and that is wrong, and for that I am sorrier than you could know.”
Beushausen was living in Lockport but moved back to her family’s home in Mokena after her hoax was exposed.
It doesn’t appear that Beushausen profited in a substantial way from her blog. She said she made an agreement with an advertiser but was never paid because the ad was not up for the required minimum 45 days.
Lockport Police Sgt. Bruce Kruizenga said he didn’t know if the department had received any complaints about Beushausen. Mokena Police Sgt. Randal Stumpf said his department was not investigating.
Don Blumenthal, an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University who specializes in Internet security and cybercrime, said it’s difficult to prosecute such cases.
It’s hard to establish jurisdiction and even that a crime has occurred, and few people have the legal skills to prosecute such cases, said Blumenthal, who previously led the Internet investigations center at the Federal Trade Commission.
“It’s an area of law that needs a lot of development,” Blumenthal said.
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On the Net: http://littleoneapril.blogspot.com/