I would like to point out that Beccah Beushausen, the woman identified in your article in today's Chicago Tribune "Bloggers Baby was a Hoax" is NOT a social worker. She is not licensed in the State of Illinois as a social worker and is not a member of the National Association of Social Workers. We would appreciate if this was noted as a correction in your paper.
Joel L. Rubin, MSW, CAE - Executive Director
NASW IL Chapter
404 S. Wells St. 4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60607
Other errors by the journalist have been called out continuously in the over 500 comments, but no corrections yet. Unfortunately, other media sources are pulling straight from the Trib article, so misinformation on this story has been spread widely.
We have been tipped off that Beccah will be posting her "last post apology" here.
26 comments:
good work again trolls!
Yes great work! I wondered why the heck a social worker would do something like this.They are unbelievable busy.
We didn't do the work, just posting it here for everyone to see. But yes, unbelievable to think a social worker would have the time.
Just wanted to let you know that it seems Beccah has removed that blog now, too...the one where she was supposed to post her apology:
http://aprilrosefamily.blogspot.com/
Not sure what she's up to, but just wanted to give the heads-up..
Trolls-
You may not do the investigating but posting this is an ENORMOUS service. Also, you post without the emotional involvement of so many involved which makes what you post even more valuable. As soon as I realized that I'd been had I remembered you from Pepe and came here.
Thank you.
The author of the gibsontwins.blogspot.com blog, who has been very active in initiating the awareness of this entire mess (and who was one of the first to see what was happening as far as I can tell) cites and inside source close to Beccah as saying that the she was never pregnant period, that her father was not present at the interview, and that she has no intention of making a follow-up post. Apparently the lies were even greater that suspected. I question whether the aprilrosefamily blog was planned to be the continuation of the ploy in place. It seemed rather odd to use the header from the scam to "apologize".
B went invite-only on her scam blog.
Just heard via Gibson's blog that Beccah submitted a 5-page letter explaining away her scam. My guess is she probably was hoping to get more media coverage thru an interview and work the public a little more to garner sympathy.
She's probably hired her very own PR rep.
Just thought you girls would like to know.
I think I just brought up my entire breakfast, ladies. Here is the ABC video dated for 6/14/09 about Beccah. And you can bet that Jennifer Mckinney got in on the action! Don't you think they could have found a more reputable source to interview on camera -- say Brianne Gibson? I must say, and I don't mean this as a dig ... for all the "natural living, organic eating" MckBigMama does, she sure looks a bit disheveled on air. Her appearance has really been affected since the story broke I guess. And note to JM, scarves are a fabulous accessory -- but only when you wear a bra and can pull it off. Wow! Shocked!
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7835797
Lord, forgive me. This woman is just so completely narcissistic, it's difficult for me to see her any different that "B".
Callie, thanks for posting that link. I think it's time for McKMama to stop inserting herself into this saga. I'm done following her blog. The two-faced-ness "I won't be posting anymore about this, but I will be talking to all the national media" has really done it for me. I wish her and her family the best.
I also emailed the address on Beccah's profile asking her to reopen her blog to the public. I said it was only fair that she allow everyone to have some closure to this. But I suspect she won't. By her having it as "invitation only", it's just feeding her need to feel wanted and sought after.
Well, I'll be. She reopened it. The post is up now.
Like Ingrid, I checked and saw that the blog was now invite only - then minutes later it was suddenly public again, with an "I Am Sorry" post.
After reading it, though... "I'm sorry" just doesn't seem to be the message I got from her writing. Yes, she says it numerous times. But how about explaining? WHY? The whole "it wasn't her intention" is bull, because from the beginning, all she talks about is her pregnancy with April - so this was not intended for her to work through past issues, like she claims. It just seems insincere and patronizing.
I'm sorry, but as the mother of a disabled (terminally ill) child myself, I just can't comprehend this - and forgiveness is NOT an option for me just yet. It's cruel and sick, to take the good will and generous spirits of people and use them for your own twisted purposes, playing on their sympathy like that.
And I HATE the way it's making me so questioning about bloggers in general - I know people stay semi anonymous sometimes, and change names, etc. That's understood. But I hate reading every word wondering if it's true.
As for the post that's up - if you subscribe via RSS, it will show up in your reader and stay there, even if she changes her mind and pulls the page again.
@ DownWiththeTrolls - thank you for exposing this so completely, even if you didn't do all the legwork. All the info stated clearly in one place makes it easier to follow.
@ GibsonTwins - I'm glad I found your blog, and look forward to reading regularly. Good for you for trusting your instinct on this one.
I just read Beccah's apology post. I never followed the blog when it was up, but I must say that she is a compelling writer. Her apology does seem sincere.
But I'm bothered by a small point. As the previous poster noted, the apology was definitely set to invitation only as recently as an hour ago. I saw the invitation only notice with my own eyes.
Beccah's apology specifically addresses this issue, claiming that she always intended to make this a public posting, and that people are spreading lies that she made it an invite-only apology.
Perhaps this is a small thing in light of the larger issue. But I'm bothered by it because it makes me think that Beccah is closely following the comments and is tailoring her responses to them.
I was never emotionally involved in the story when it was unfolding (I only first heard of it after the fraud was exposed). So I can give a dispassionate reaction to her apology. I believe that Beccah is sincerely sorry for perpetrating a fraud that caused such emotional turmoil in so many well meaning strangers. I doubt that she did it for the money, although she wasn't above attempting to profit somewhat. She emphatically claims that she did not receive a single check or gift card in her P.O. box, although she hasn't checked it in weeks and does not intend to ever do so again.
I believe the strongest motivation for her actions is simply the desire for a wide recognition of her talents. Put most simply, she did it for attention. And, despite the outcome, she is certainly gained recognition as a talented writer and artist.
However, she put a lot of effort into this caper. Pictures of herself pregnant, dressing up a lifelike doll, etc. She also fed that foolish Tribune reporter some fish soup, such as her status as a social worker and that her baby died in the blog story. The
Glamour Shots style photo that accompanied the article didn't help to make her sympathetic, either.
I feel that Beccah's apology is a good first step. But, as she claims to understand in her apology, it will be a long process to put all of this behind her.
Well put, Joseph. Hopefully she is truly sorry for what she has done and not for getting caught.
There are a few discrepancies in her apology that bother us here, and she's obviously weeding through her comments and deleting the negative feedback.
We have been wondering if NILMDTS will be able to take any legal action for fraudulently misrepresenting herself to a non-profit. Even if it was just having to pay a donation to the photographer or the non-profit for her time, it would be something.
Thanks to the hard work of people like Brianne Gibson and Elizabeth Russell, she is going to have to be responsible for her actions, and can't just hide behind the Internet's cloak of anonymity.
Wow, ladies. I don't even know what to say at this point.
Except, it's been so nice to "meet" all of you, and a true pleasure to be able to share frustrations with one another throughout this whole deceitful situation.
Brianne, you went above and beyond, and even in the midst of your anger and frustration, you handled yourself with grace and dignity. Thank you for putting all the pieces together so we could all begin to put our energies and prayers elsewhere, where they were most needed.
Down With the Trolls, thank you for presenting such unbiased information and allowing each one of us to simply speak our minds freely with no judgement.
But as I ponder her apologies and explanations and regrets and pleas, I'm once again taken back to the moment I began reading her blog. And that, quite frankly, is just scary. My opinions of just about everyone in the blogging world have been changed forever, as I question everything now. What's even sadder is that whenever I see someone quoting Scripture and in the same breath, asking for prayer for a sick child or loved one, or ads, I move on. No prayers. No second thoughts. I just move on. I will not be labeled a follower ever again in this regard. I will not be patronized and called a "wolverine," and instantly feel compassion for someone. I will check out their story, check it again, and instead ask God to place on my heart the people most in need and deserving of prayer. Many of these comments I've made are almost unrecognizable to me as I type them, because my heart was always wide open. But this experience has indeed changed me.
No abortion, no miscarriage, no loss of life and no sickness should ever cause you to choose to fall from the Grace of God in such a way that you would take thousands of praying men and women, play on their faithwalks, manipulate them and crush them. We need to be very careful when we do things in "Jesus' Name," or when we say "Giving Him all the Glory." Saying it does not make it so. And anytime we do something in His name and deface His name, there is a great price to be paid.
I'm now stepping off of my soapbox and away from my computer. Turns out there's a beautiful sun in the sky today beaming down, and it also turns out that "April's Mom" never existed. I'd like to leave it there.
Christian love to all of you.
I know for a fact that Beccah has been trolling the blogs/messages boards for the past several days. She seems to have tailor made her "apology" to what she sees on the boards.
She only addressed the donations that she had talked about before. I know that she received others. Look her for example at the June 10th entry to see where she got the blanket she wrapped "April Rose" in for the pictures.
http://jaxsonsfight.blogspot.com/
I'm sure that people sent her money too. If she is so sorry, why doesn't she go to her P.O. Box and return all the mail there to the senders??? To say she's not been there and she assumes the mail will be returned is silly. If she's paid the rent/fee on the box, it will sit there until at least her rental time is up.
Her apology is full of half truths. She is obviously a hurting/damaged person who craves attention. If she didn't want more attention, she wouldn't allowing comments on her "I'm sorry" post at all.
I hope she gets the help that she so desperately needs.
She keeps editing her post based on what's she's reading here and at Gibson's blog.
This girl is sick.
I mean really sick.
Mark my word, though, she'll be back. She left it open at the end of her post w/ "If I (choose to come back and write more) ..."
She's like a disease that just won't go away. Very needy.
K. Computer's going off now. For real.
Just sent a lengthy email outlining the story and her use of other Trisomy moms' stories to craft her own sick tale to the Trisomy organization she links to at the very end of her self-serving pack of lies.
Wanted them to know she's linking to them and what she has done, along w/ all the media coverage.
I doubt they will be very sympathetic when they read my email, and I'm most certain they will demand she remove the link ASAP so as not to be connected to such a detriment to their organization.
Have you noticed how she took down the small red type on top of the post explaining away her "updates?" She is following this blog as we speak, ladies.
She also turned off comments. Guess that means that only 37 came in that were "postable" -- shocking when your readership is in the thousands. Her expectations were clearly a bit high after all the trouble she's caused.
Maybe now she'll go away for good.
When I contacted Joel on Friday to let him know of her misrepresentation, he had not even heard of her but was very concerned. I'm glad he took my complaint seriously!
The comments were turned off earlier, as I was attempting to leave one myself - I highly doubt mine would have made the cut anyway.
I understand forgiveness... really, I do. But the comments that WERE posted? Some were just so blatantly ridiculous, I have to wonder if she posted them herself.
I've reread it once or twice, and each time something new jumps out at me, like her asking for the hatred/slander to stop, so that she can heal. I'm sorry, but what about the people that were truly hurt by what she did? If they feel the need to speak out, then they have the right - there is no slander, only different people's version of the "story".
It's horrible what she did to the blogging community, destroying people's trust in each other.
Callie - I wish you had your name linked, because if you blog, I have a feeling I'd love it :) So far today you've made me laugh and do some heavy thinking.
I don't blog, Kay, but thanks for the sweet sentiments.
I'm a writer -- like for a living, writer. Paid, that is. And not from ads. Like with a real journalism degree kind of writer. But even if I had no education whatsoever, I'd still be a writer. But never on a blog. With ads. In fact, each time I've visited Jennifer Mckinney's site, I've started heaving. Like really heaving. It's bad for my health. My stomach. And yes, even my bowels. It's just entirely too much like Beccah's gig. Sick kid (well, her doll was dead, but you get the picture) and all. No wonder they seemed so tight!
I've also worked in Public Relations. And that -- now THAT'S what's got my panties in a tiff. This 26-year-old trainwreck is actually trying to attempt damage control. That's called Crisis Communications. And it's what large corporations hire PR firms to prevent. She's attempting an all out media tour! The only problem. And it's a rather BIG problem. She's tripping over her own lies right and left. And she doesn't even realize it. The LAST media outlet you want to contact when you're trying to fade out of sight and just hope and pray people forget your name, facial features, etc. is call Good Morning America and put anything in writing! I can't wait to see all of the press that comes across the wire in the morning. I'll have to whip out one of my handy dandy Depends (sorry, PaperPak ... don't have a proper TM superscript symbol available) samples that used to be tucked so neatly under my desk when they were a client :) I will be making a mess all over myself tomorrow AM when things begin to hit the circuit. And believe you me, they will in some form or fashion.
I think if I were her father Dean or her publicly professing humiliated uncle Derwin, I would snatch her up, stick her in a room with bread and water and a Bible. Oh, and maybe a bucket since all that water's gotta go somewhere. And after she was done reading the entire Bible, I would drive her to the nearest mental facility, get a court order, and have her locked up for a long while. Then, if several years passed by and she hadn't tried to break out yet, and she was heavily medicated to the point of not even knowing her name (thereby forgetting she even knew how to use a computer), I would build her a little dollhouse in the backyard surrounded by a privacy fence that locked, give her all the baby dolls she wanted -- and cute little clothes to match, along with any little accessories that might tickle her little drugged up fancy - and let her imagine all the little friends she wanted to.
At this point, I just pray the Lord will place heavy on my heart soon the devine ability to forget how deeply she hurt me and all of you wonderful women. I happened to find her blog after losing my first baby thru miscarriage. And I do love the Lord with all of my heart. I really do. This has just really shaken me, and I'm really having a difficult time reconciling all of this said and done in His name. I know I've not made Him too proud these last few days. And I've laid it at His feet each day. But right now, I'm angry, sad, confused, and I feel like I've been had in the worst way possible.
What I can't seem to be able to fully take in yet is that she did ALL OF THIS IN JESUS' NAME. That's akin to spitting in His very face. I think's He's suffered enough for each one of us. And while I'm not ready to forgive her just yet, I know He already has.
... Geesh! Now I feel like many of you going forward ... I need to confirm, authenticate, convince, you name it. And All because of this girl's trainwreck!
BTW ... the Trisomy 13 organization she linked to at the bottom of her letter ...
They too have forgiven her and simply want to move beyond this. They (unlike myself) believe she can actually do some good by bringing attention to their organization. And as such, will not ask her to remove the link to their site.
I know God can bring beauty out of the ashes, but I'm not convinced a name like Beccah Rose Bueshausen will do the trick from a business perspective. In fact, from a PR point of view, that's one referral I would have to refuse altogether and immediately. While I'm sure abortion (if even that was her real story) and its recovery is life-long and excruciating to live with day in and day out due to guilt and regret, I have to say that she has no inkling whatsoever what these women go thru when they do in fact carry a baby to term only to say goodbye so soon after. No mother should have to do that. Ever. So her trying to say she can understand where these women are coming from is just beyond me. It's both arrogant and incessantly arrogant.
I've lost a baby to miscarriage as I've said, and I can't begin to imagine carrying him/her full term only to lose it. My hurt was a deep, visceral, to your very core ache I can't even describe, and after years and years of trying no less, but imagining what Angie Smith and Rachael Myers went thru. Well, that's just not even possible for me.
Have a lovely evening, ladies. It's dinner time!
Her apology letter made it to ABC's website. Prepare yourself to be sick.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Weekend/story?id=7835560&page=1
Bet she's loving this.
More lies.
That hole she's diggin' gettin' a little deep to recover from, though. Better be careful!
you know what i find funny.??.... Ok , she said she never intended for all this to happen...but , that only explains that she never meant for her blog to get so big. However , she does not explain WHY she even published her first post in the first place. ?? I mean , she said that she onl expected like 50 or so close friends to read it...but , if they were "close friends" then wouldn't they know that she was NOT pregnant to begin with??? I don't get it.
Haven't been on here on comments but I am blushing now. For the record though, I declined the GMA interview. So did everyone else. That's how MckDrama got on camera.
I learned a lot from last summer's scam (Friends of Pepe) from DWT -- they are the best!
This was posted on the parentdish.com site in the comments.
"Beccah is a sick person. This is not the first online scam she has run. A few years ago she scammed a couple telling them she was pregnant and going to give the baby up for adoption. Surprise! She was never pregnant! And the poor couple was left broken hearted"
Is there any truth to it?
She is one twisted woman. That apology was just ridiculous and insincere. I think the only thing she is sorry about is getting caught.
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