Social media erupts over terrifying viral account of an attempted child abduction that turns out to be FAKE – proving you shouldn’t believe everything you see on Facebook
- Woman claimed her 14-month-old daughter was victim of attempted kidnapping
- The ‘mother’ posted lengthy story to Facebook about alleged encounter
- She claims man attempted to take child from trolley at Schofields Woolworths
- Police investigated the claim and found it to be untrue and unrelated to author
- Post was shared by Bachelor star Nichole Wood who later backtracked
A Facebook post sparked widespread fears after a woman claimed her 14-month-old daughter was the victim of an attempted abduction – only for police to confirm the story was fake.
A ‘mother’ claimed to have been walking through Schofields Woolworths in Sydney’s west at 3pm on Wednesday afternoon where she briefly turned her back on her young child to pick out fruit.
The woman then said she turned around to find a man attempting to lift the baby out of her trolley.
‘The lady from the deli saw the whole thing and screamed out at him as well,’ as she looked at both of us and said ‘she’s so beautiful’ in the most sickening voice I have ever heard,’ the account posted.
Riverstone Police Area Command have since rubbished the claim after investigating the incident when concerned Facebook users reported it.
A Facebook post sparked widespread fears after a woman claimed her 14-month-old daughter was the victim of an attempted abduction – only for police to confirm the story was fake
The post, which has been widely shared on social media, attracted hundreds of comments from concerned members of the community.
Even Bachelor star Nichole Wood shared the post through her Instagram accout, initially warning people of the dangers in the community. She later backtracked after finding out the post was fake.
‘I have seriously been sharking all day and feel so sick to my stomach,’ the post starts.
‘I went to Woolworths with my 14-month-old daughter and put her in the trolly, the trolly straps were broken but she was sooky and I just wanted to go in and out so I used it anyway (NEVER AGAIN).’
The woman said she was walking around the produce section of the Schofields supermarket before she heard ‘what sounded like my daughter standing up on the trolley’.
‘I quickly spun around to see a man literally lifting her out of the trolley. Iscreamed out ‘what the f***’ and leaped towards her. He placed her down but just stood there,’ she claimed, before alleging the man delivered the chilling line.
‘He then walked off but kept turning around smiling at us. By the time the manager came the man had taken off, the cameras show the man walking inside Woolworths after me and you can see him following me around.’
The ‘mother’ said he was also carrying a large puffer jacket, which she claimed he ‘could have easily covered my daughter with and ran off’.
The woman said she was walking around the produce section of the Schofields supermarket when the fraudulent attempted child abduction occurred
The account claims she made a police report, but authorities were quick to deny the claims.
‘Riverstone Police Area Command have been made aware of a Facebook post suggesting that an attempt abduction of a child at a grocery store on Railway Terrace Schofields occurred Wednesday 16 February 2022,’ police said in a statement.
‘Investigations into this post have commenced revealing that the matter was not reported to Police and the allegation is false.
‘Further enquiries will be made to speak to the author of the post. Investigation continuing.’
NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia the author of the post had heard the story from someone else and shared it, greatly exaggerating the truth which is believed to have been an innocent misunderstanding.
The account claims she made a police report, but authorities were quick to deny the claims
Facebook users ripped into the fake post saying the author should be charged with ‘wasting police time’
The police’s post has been littered with comments denouncing the fraudulent story, with some hoping the person behind it is charged for ‘wasting police’s time’.
‘Who lies about this? Iv felt sick to my stomach since reading it last night worrying about who is in our community & so brazen to do this. Shame on them,’ a woman commented.
‘What a terrible thing to make up and scare the community,’ a man replied.