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'Pregnancy' Blog Was Anti-Abortion Hoax

Blogger had thousands of followers

By Sarah Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 12, 2009 11:55 AM CDT

(Newser) – A popular anti-abortion blog that told the story of a woman who gave birth to a terminally ill baby was a hoax, the Chicago Tribune reports. For months, thousands of readers logged on daily to follow "April's Mom." They rallied around her, sending photos, gifts, and prayers. On Sunday, the blogger wrote a post—picture included—saying she had given birth and that the baby died hours later.

That's when readers got suspicious. "I have that exact doll in my house," a blog follower said. "As soon as I saw that picture, I knew it was a scam." Eventually social worker Beccah Beushausen, 26, copped to the hoax. "I'm sorry because people were so emotionally involved," she said. Beushausen said she really did lose a baby, in 2005, and started the blog to express her anti-abortion views.

Beccah Beushausen said she started her blog in March to deal with the loss of a baby and express her anti-abortion views.
Beccah Beushausen said she started her blog in March to deal with the loss of a baby and express her anti-abortion views.   (AP Photo/The Kidd family)
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I feel emotionally exploited. - Jennifer McKinney, mycharmingkids.net

It was addictive to find out I had a voice that people wanted to hear. - Beccah Beushausen

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 22 comments
kokuaguy
Jun 12, 2009 11:54 AM CDT
Right Dr._Z-- this is the best comment here and one of the shortest.
Doctor-Zaius
Jun 12, 2009 11:39 AM CDT
If you have to lie to make your point you really don't have a point.
newsrmandan
Jun 12, 2009 10:35 AM CDT
in other word..... Shut the H*** up and let us abort all the children we choose too. Sorry..... thats not morally superior. To borrow from one of pro-choices more brilliant minds. Jonmarkp. see above.

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