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Anti-abortion hoax on internet
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A baby, not connected to this story. AP photo.
Parents who have lost children or faced difficult pregnancy decisions look for support on the internet -- on blogs, message boards and chat rooms -- where there is privacy and an openness not afforded face to face for many. Some of these parents found a place to congregate, share, vent and support each other on a blog. The blog was written by a woman who identified herself as B or April's mom.
She wrote online about being unmarried and pregnant. But the story got more involved over the four months that her blog was online. B's unborn child was diagnosed in utero with a terminal disease. The mother did not believe in abortion and was going to have the baby, no matter what it's life would be like, long or short. She named the baby April Rose, and shortly after the baby was born, it passed away. She posted photos of baby April Rose on the internet.
And that's when a reader recognized the toy doll that was supposed to be the baby in the photo. All of a sudden, the scam unravelled. The blogger, who had only identified herself online as either B or April's mom, was found out to be a fiction writer. One who perhaps took things too far.
The blogger, April's mom, now identified as 26 year old Becca Beushausen, a Chicago social worker, had even taken phone calls of support. But when the hoax blew up, her blog came down, as did her Facebook and Twitter accounts, and readers felt betrayed. The blog got over 1 million hits when April rose was born and then passed away. Readers of the blog had shared their feelings, similar stories, biblical quotes, anti-abortion sentiments and Christian pop-music.
According to a report by the Chicago Tribune last week, Beushausen admitted to the fiction. She said she really had lost a child in 2005, shortly after his birth, and this blog was a way for her to work those feelings out and express her anti-abortion views. But readers felt preyed upon.
Seed Newsvine 
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