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Blogger Fakes Baby's Death
Filed under: In The News
Blogger Rebecca Beushausen lied about her terminally ill baby. Source: David Pierini, Chicago Tribune / MCT.
Heartbreaking, right? Here's the most heartbreaking part: The entire story was a lie.
Twenty-six-year-old Beccah Beushausen had captivated readers with her story of a single mother facing a difficult pregnancy. Her blog, Little One April, drew thousands of readers, who offered prayers and support and help. On June 7, when she posted about her baby's birth and subsequent death hours later, her site had nearly a million hits.
But when Beushausen posted a photo of Baby April, readers got suspicious -- the baby wasn't a baby at all, but a Reborn doll, a baby doll made to look exactly like a newborn. And that's when Beushausen's story began to unravel.
Click above to watch a video report of this story. Screengrab courtesy of ABC.
Beushausen, who started her blog in in March, had struck a nerve with Christian and anti-abortion bloggers; they saw her as a beacon for their beliefs. But now those same bloggers are questioning Beushausen's motives. Jennifer McKinney, the blogger behind My Charming Kids, was one of Beushausen's biggest supporters. But no longer. "I feel emotionally exploited," McKinney told the Chicago Tribune. "My readers were praying for her, and I feel guilty about that." McKinney says that in retrospect, Beushausen seemed more interested in driving up the traffic at her web site than she did in her unborn baby.
Her pretend unborn baby, that is.
What does Beushausen have to say about all this? In the wake of revelations that she lied, she initially deleted both her blog and her Twitter account -- but now she's posted an apology at Little One April. It says, in part:
"In my life I've had good days and I have also dealt with a lot of pain, including the sorrow over the loss of life, among a lot of other things. I don't say that to garner your sympathy or to lessen your anger. I say it because it is true. Was the loss present day? -- No. But true, none the less. In my "calendar past," perhaps, but still very much so in my present day to day.
"I lied and I am not trying to hide that, nor am I trying to minimize it. Worse still, I lied to a community of people whose only intention was to support me through this time and that is wrong, and for that I am sorrier than you could know.
"The #1 question I have been asked in the last few days is what I would tell people online who followed my story, who are now upset to find it is not true. - The simplest and most honest way that I can answer why I started lying (even prior to opening my blog) and started my blog is that I am struggling with my life. I have been dealing with unresolved pain that weighs heavy on my heart and which I have been unable to handle alone."
Beushausen goes on to say that she did not recieve money or gifts from anyone, and that contrary to public reports, she was not paid for advertising placed on her blog. She also says, over and over, that she is sorry.
But that's not cutting it with other mom bloggers, particularly those who really have lost a child, and who came to Beushausen's aid. Bloggers Angie Smith, Jennifer McKinney and Raechel Meyers, who befriended and supported Beushausen, are hurt and angry: "There is an issue that all three of us feel needs to be addressed, and that is the fact that we really want you all to know that we are hurting with you. The fact that we want to honor the Lord doesn't mean that we aren't experiencing anger, disappointment, and deep sorrow. Two of us have walked through this journey and lost our babies, and the third came closer than most people can relate to."
So what is the lesson here? It's difficult to tell right now. We've seen bloggers reach out to support each other in times of need, and it is devastating to see that trust abused. But it is also incredibly sad to think about what drove Beccah Beushausen to create this fiction, and to lie to so many people.
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ReaderComments (Page 5 of 9)
6-15-2009 @ 11:31PM
Human Energy said...Get over it People, It was just a story. What do you think you watch every time you attend a movie or watch T.V. You think "reality television" is Real? You are just as pathetic.Get on with your own life and concentrate on benefitting the world around you instead of sitting at the computer screen indulging in others mindless writings.
Get a job, work a hobby, learn a skill, help a loved one, make a difference by getting involved in your community. Life is for the living. Get out and experience the goodness around you.The flat screen has no memory. Lasting memories will be had only by valued time and experiences with others. Memories,that you will never be able recreate in a dark room with a lighted screen by yourself.
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6-15-2009 @ 11:31PM
acethelegend said...This womam is obviously emotionally disturbed, to make up such a story, she desparately seeking attention. This is her cry for help. Her family and friends need to find some help for her fast.
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6-18-2009 @ 2:30AM
S.Homestead said...Why do people believe any of this stuff on the Internet? How horrible for those who have lost a child (at any age.) When some people can be anonymous, they will say anything. When you have an "Octomom" garnering funds, sympathy and publicity when all she is is an irresponsible parent and celebreties having children out of wedlock and politicians being dishonest, fraudulent and adulterers or worse and still be re-elected, what do you expect of our youth? Since so many people seem more interested in celebreties and buy (super market) 'rags', go to ridiculous movies (full of violence and sex) and are not educated just "schooled", spend hours on cell phones,playing video games and watching TV when do they have time to be consciencious, productive and reasonable? Many people in this country are sadly, dreamers and wouldn't know an honest, hard day's work if it hit them in the face. The rest who are responsible will be the taxpayers who pay for the corruption, greed, fraud and debt that has plagued our society for so long, we're now bankrupt on many levels!
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6-16-2009 @ 8:13AM
kathy said...I think she is a sick, sick person, and I think that there should be some prosecution going on. It has to be illegal, especially if she took some type of donations. I lost a child at 16 months old, she was born with downsyndrome, and had heart defects. I held onto her for as long as I could , surgerys, oh what I had to go thru, too much to mention. But , to fake it, is unumanigble!!!! You will never know what it is like to lose a child , until it happens. I held my dead daughter and carried her all the way down to the elevators in the hospital , until i had to hand her over to the nurses, and they take her down to the morgue. I have never been the same since, and this happened in 1990. I ended up in divorce, who knows if it was a facter in the divorce, probably. I wish I could meet this person, i would bitch slap her. PHoney bi------
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6-15-2009 @ 11:42PM
Jason said...Here's a question for you. Why are you people stupid enough to read a 'blog' from a complete stranger? How does this woman's posts concern you in the least? It's your own damn fault for being a part of this ridiculously stupid modern craze of internet 'blogs' and 'twitters' and the rest of this inane crap.
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6-15-2009 @ 11:46PM
Allie said...littleblueyes ~ can you think up any other FICTION you would like to add to your story? Give us a break!
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6-15-2009 @ 11:46PM
BooHoo said...Let this be a lesson to all you suckers.....just falling hook, line and sinker for every sorry-a$$ sob story out there.....doesn't anyone stop and think for a minute that maybe, you're getting played??
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6-15-2009 @ 11:53PM
Danis said...No excuse - period! I don't care how crappy your life has been or WHAT has happened to you in the past - there simply is NO EXCUSE for what she has done! One word for her "KARMA" .......
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6-16-2009 @ 12:26AM
Tami said...Sadly I was a follower of her blog, I was sick when I saw she had deleted it.... And I knew all of us had been duped.
She needs help, not name calling.
Pray for her.
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6-16-2009 @ 12:43AM
jagmom3 said...I feel for all those who have lost a child - I have not lost any physical child (other than a miscarriage), but my son is diagnosed as bi-polar, PDD, ADHD, etc the list goes on and on. My comment is not really for the liar... it is about what is wrong with 20 some thing kids.
We the citizen's can't raise children without our kids running to school saying "mommy or daddy or ... did..." or kids being punished on time out (no hitting) claiming they were harmed because they are mad. I am sorry but we have lost our children to our government which has made it very difficult to get help for children who really need psychological help - You have NO idea how hard it is to get services. We had CPS at our door every week and finally we called them and told them we needed help - our child was holding us hostage against ANY punishment. I am not saying we need to beat our children, but I never behaved the way my own kids behave and that is because spanking wasn't child abuse.
I think my kids could use a GOOD spank every now and again, but I need services for them, not for the state to take them away. I think people need to think more about who they vote for and why.
When I was a kid, there weren't other kids going to school shooting people. It is obvious there is a problem. We should be able to go to our local government for help. If they are going to control what we can do to reprimand our children, then there should be more services available.
Let's stand together to make a postive change in society or in local state government for more services. It is unfortunate, this person or family was probably was neglected services - it is a shame, crime, and effects us all. Be sure you know who you are voting for, what changes they bring to the table, and be a spokes person to light the path to make changes.
Be blessed all of you no matter your affliction, we can stand together to make a positive change for this younger generation that is coming to the plate. If you have a child that is having temper tantrums of a two year old and they are age five or older, don't sweep it under the rug - get help for the child AND the whole family. Every child over the age of three should be able to stay on time out for THREE minutes and if the child is STILL angry beyond 15 minutes, consider the stimulation your child receives - maybe he/she is watching to much T.V. try reading a book instead.
Embrace one another kind and loving even when it is difficult. I pray this young lady receives whatever help or punishment she needs.
Jagmom3
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6-16-2009 @ 12:22AM
Tracy said...I just read the story , and am so sicken by this. Its sick to know that we have poeple like this living in our world...How dare someone play a joke, or even lie about losing a child, or being pregnant in the first place? My Family has gone through struggles for the pass 5 years. I have a son whom is now 3 years, I gave birth to him at only 4 months, he was just 2 pounds in 2006. We spent 6 1/2 months in the NICU where we live. To this day we still have problems, I couldnt never bear to think how someone else could handle a loss of their own child, or a mis carriage. Its sad that this women would do something such as this to scoop so low for attention, and to think she never thought of others whom could never have childern of their own, or about the ones who HAVE actually lost a child.... I am a young mother ( Im 23 ) and no longer can have any more childern of my own. I have dealt with this fact for a years now. But for her to say all these things about her being pregnant, and feeling her baby kick, and then say " After the child was born she dies a few hours later" and all that she want through...She deserves some kind of punishment, but i am not the one to judge her, God will one day...
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6-16-2009 @ 1:00AM
manorchic1 said...I know exactly how you fell honey. My twins were in the NICU unit at a local hospital here. My oldest son was in the hospital for 6 months before we got to bring him home. He weighes just a little over 1 pound when he was born. They were both so bruised up that their skin made them look as though they were black. He didn't even get in the regular nursery until about 3 weeks before we brought him home. He was on 14 different meds when we brought him home. Some of those meds he had to have 2-3 times a day. The life experience that you and I share definitely make us stronger women for it. One day you and I will be rewarded for the struggles we have made with our children. God Bless you and your son. Our children truly are angels.
6-16-2009 @ 12:36AM
pugz said...what do you expect ? it came from a blogger on the internet, not an actual news source. someone with even less standards than BSNBC.
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6-18-2009 @ 2:44AM
von said...Big deal! She did not receive money or gifts, we listen to the international news and believe what we hear and base judgment on it based on what is broadcast. She wrote a story and people liked it, get over it.
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6-16-2009 @ 12:53AM
Tracy said...Well Robert:
Im glad you said that about abortion:
According to your logic you said that lilblueeyes shouldve aborted and killed her baby because it was going to have many disabilities. Well If YOU got into a car accident and hurt your head giving YOU disabilities I'm glad to know we could just take you out to a back alley and shoot you. Because to you having a low standard of life is a hell lot worse than living at all right?
Think about what you say idiot. Because to me you're ''lower than the shit on the bottom of my shoe''. Abortion is murder. Being legal has NOTHING to do with it. And if you dont like what I have to say then deal with the choice you made.
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6-16-2009 @ 12:53AM
manorchic1 said...You know it is never easy to lose a child no matter the age. I had a daughter when I was 19, she was three months early and only lived to be three days old. I was 23 when I had twin boys born at 24 weeks. The oldest is 15 yrs. old, the youngest one died when he was 39 days old. I am almost 40 and have a daughter who will be 3 in July. As a result of being so premature, my son has ADHD and his behavior sometimes in unspeakable. At times I often wonder if he has another disease on top of his ADHD but doctors haven't diagnosed anything. I lost my maternal grandmother when I was pregnant with my first daughter, I lost my mother when my son was 7. I can't stand to bear the thought of losing another child. I am very overprotective of my two children even though they are 12 yrs. apart. I don't let them out of my sight for a minute and we live in the country. I agree this woman should be punished in some way for what she did. But, when she herself dies, she will be the one that has to answer to the good man upstairs for what she did.
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6-16-2009 @ 1:32AM
Jennifer said...stupid lady, my sister miscarried her last two pregnancy and they were the hardest things to deal with, the worst was when my 6 year old nephew came up to us and said I'm not gonna have a baby anymore.
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6-16-2009 @ 11:11PM
Jay said...This is my first time ever hearing about this story, and I must say I was upset, hurt, and disgusted by what has taken place. Then I placed myself in her shoes. I considered what she may have been feeling, and what could have made her do what she did. This woman needs sympathy, clarity, and love. Most of all, she needs CLOSURE!
First of all, I want to start by saying; this message is in no way intended to offend, or upset anyone. I am a mother, and I could only imagine the pain that those of you who have lost a child might be going through. With that being said, I think that you all should try to look past what Rebecca Beushausen did, and think about why she did what she did. This woman has obviously had extreme difficulty dealing with the fact that her baby died in her womb. Since you all know what it feels like to lose a child, to some extent, you should sympathize with her.
Everybody is trying to negate the fact that this woman was pregnant. Whether the baby died in her womb or she carried a full term birth and lost her baby, the fact still remains; SHE LOST A BABY!!! I understand the way she went about getting sympathy was wrong, but this is a woman who clearly needs healing. I hope that you all will consider forgiving this woman for what she has done and in doing so hopefully it will offer some closure for her.
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6-16-2009 @ 2:05AM
Josie said...As a mother who has lost not one but two babies with in a 3 year period of time, this woman angers me to no end. She mocks those who have had to go through the loss of a child, which is a horrible horrible thing, only someone who has lost a child can know that.
She is an evil attention whore, who has no life and seeked to get sympathy, attention and some sort of fame that she couldn't get in her own pathetic life. I don't care how many "troubles" she has or mental issues, you don't violate peole's trust and emotions like that. It is just so wrong!
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6-16-2009 @ 12:55PM
mc621844 said...Hey lilblueyes, ADHD can be one symptom of autism, OCD is a also seen in autism, asperger's is one portion of the autism spectrum, PDD is also another name for autism. Sooooo.... your kid is autistic. Mine too. But we can all name their disorders symptom by symptom, my list would be as long as your post. You seem to be absorbed in self-pity as all parents of autistics COULD be. Face it accept it do what you can to help her, less bit-hing more action. And get yourself some psychological help.
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