Fact Check: Bullied Australian kid Quaden Bayles did not commit suicide
Nine-year-old Quaden Bayles recently went viral after his mother posted a video of him crying and repeatedly saying he wanted to die after being bullied at school. But now a video message is going viral claiming that he has committed suicide. India Today's AFWA has found the post to be a hoax.
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India Today Fact Check
This is a hoax
Nine-year-old Quaden Bayles recently went viral after his mother posted a video of him crying and repeatedly saying he wanted to die after being bullied at school. The Australian kid is affected with dwarfism.
The video drew worldwide support for Bayles. But now a video message is going viral claiming that he has committed suicide after the bullying worsened. The social media post on a website has attributed the news to BBC News.
With a BBC News logo on the viral video, the caption says, Bullied 9-year-old QUADEN BAYLES’ Died by Suicide after Bullying Worsens at School. The archived version can be seen here.
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the post to be a hoax. BBC News has never published any report on Bayles saying he committed suicide.
Several Facebook users such as Oliver Brown and Sonika Lourembam have shared the same content.
The link of the viral video takes us to another page showing an American news anchor speaking. The video clip stops abruptly after the news anchor says police have found the body of a nine-year-old. A warning message comes up saying, This video may show graphic content. Share to continue watching.
Neither BBC News nor any other credible media have published any news claiming that Quaden Bayles has committed suicide.
A few days back, AFWA had debunked another hoax which said late American basketball star Kobe Bryant’s widow had committed suicide.
International fact-checkers such as Politifact and Snopes have also debunked the hoax about Quaden Bayles.
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