After a double investigation, one of which was done by an independent investigator, KFC has concluded that the incident that was publicized recently claiming that a badly scarred girl was turned away from a Mississippi Kentucky Fried Chicken cannot be verified.
The twin investigations had investigators studying the video surveillance tapes for customers entering and exiting the franchise in question, and neither investigation could find any footage showing the young girl and her grandmother entering or exiting the franchise on the day that they said they were asked to leave the premises because it was disturbing other customers.
An investigation of receipts for May 15th, the day in question, showed that the particular order the grandmother stated that she had bought at the franchise, was never made. The grandmother said that she ordered mashed potatoes and Iced Tea, but was asked to leave by an employee soon after. According to KFC records, it has been stated that no transaction was made for that combination of order.
Following the release of KFC’s findings, the Facebook page”Victoria’s Victories” was taken down from the social network. Before the page was taken down, it had a final posting which stated, “I promise its not a hoax, I never thought any of this would blow up the way it has. … Please do not believe untrue media. I have personally watched this family go without to provide for Victoria. They have not and would not do anything to hurt Victoria in any way.”
When the news of the alleged turn away from one of the fried chicken franchises broke on social networks and the media, money came pouring in in the form of donations to the girl injured by three pit bulls when she went to her grandfather’s home to visit. $30,000 was even donated for the young girl’s medical costs from the KFC franchise itself.
Funding was also coming in to the fundraising site GoFundMe. But, that funding has been suspended and the page has been removed from the site. In a statement, the CEO of GoFundMe said, “In lieu of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the ‘Victoria’s Victories’ online fundraising effort, GoFundMe has temporarily suspended the campaign until the full truth is made clear.”
KFC officials say that they would like to meet with the family in order to find if there is additional information, and say that they will stand by their donation of $30,000 for the young girls medical costs regardless of the outcome.
William Kullum, the attorney for Victoria’s family disputes the results of the KFC investigation and said, “It is unfortunate that Victoria and her family are being vilified on what appears to be the result of an inconclusive investigation conducted by KFC and/or its agents that implies Victoria’s story is a “hoax,” said William Kellum of Jackson, the attorney for Victoria’s family. “It is deeply disappointing that other parties have taken opportunity to attack Victoria through social and news media outlets. Victoria is an innocent child with very real physical and emotional scars. The focus of her family has always been, and will always be on Victoria and making her whole again.”
KFC/Victoria Wilcher Incident May Have Been Hoax added by Staff on
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