http://www.ktxs.com/news/30594649/detail.html

Family’s Plea For Donations After Fire – May Have Been Hoax

ABILENE, Texas—Authorities have confirmed to KTXS that a family may have pulled off a hoax in Abilene Wednesday when asking for donations for their young son and claiming to have lost everything in a fire at the Rodeway Inn.

The family, in fact, lost little or nothing in the fire.

The family told what seemed to be a sad story to another television station in Abilene. They claimed they had lost all their belongings in the fire that damaged a number of rooms at the motel located on Pine Street Wednesday afternoon.

Several well-meaning people responded to their pleas, and donations were stacked outside their motel room Friday.

“The community certainly responded,” Sandy Kenley told KTXS. She went to her bank Friday, withdrew some money and showed up at the motel room to give the family some donations and cash.

“There are many people that brought things,” she said.

She was informed by KTXS News that the plea for help may have been a hoax.

Kenley said, “And now I ... hear the rest of the story. It’s sad, sad for the little boy.”

Authorities told KTXS that, in fact, fire crews saved the family’s belongings from the fire.

According to Brownwood authorities, an anonymous source told them this is not the first time the family has taken advantage of charitable resources. Brownwood authorities identified the couple as Johnny and Carla Sharp. Their son was identified as Cameron.

The family listed their room at the Rodeway Inn for people to drop off donations; however, the family was not there when KTXS knocked on the door early Friday afternoon.

The family also listed an account name that was set up for donations with the First National Bank of Rotan.

KTXS News spoke to the manager at the bank who confirmed that an account had been set up with the same name as the account listed.

The manager said the account had been opened by a relative of the family.

The manager told KTXS that no one had donated to the account as of Friday afternoon and that it is not the bank’s policy to verify the validity of accounts set up to receive charitable donations.

Well, here in the San Francisco area, a few years ago a major 24” gas pipe-line ruptured and destroyed 34 homes or so and killed several people, and so, of course:

When the Red Cross and the County set-up tents and began giving out aid to the victims (this was long after the fires had been put out), more people from out-of-the-area showed up as victims than did genuine victims.  Most went to jail, at least the ones they caught.

Oh, well!

Dan, loving the parade

It is horrible when people take advantage of other people’s misery or compassion.

And some of them go really far. I’ve heard stories about parents handicapping their own children - so that they look helpless - and sending them to beg for money on the streets.

Questo - 30 March 2012 02:49 PM

It is horrible when people take advantage of other people’s misery or compassion.

And some of them go really far. I’ve heard stories about parents handicapping their own children - so that they look helpless - and sending them to beg for money on the streets.

Munchausen By Proxy. NOT a nice thing.