Story Of Little Girl Denied Service By KFC Employee Due To Scars From Pit Bull Attack Reportedly A Hoax
Following a grandmother’s claim that her 3-year-old granddaughter was asked to leave a KFC in Jackson, Miss., because of facial scars she received as the result of a pit bull attack, sources are now reporting the incident was a hoax. Security footage and order receipts from where the incident allegedly took place have revealed that Victoria Wilcher and her grandmother Kelly Mullins were never at the KFC restaurant. A source close to the Laurel Leader-Call said that a hospital patient has never been asked to leave one of the fast food establishment’s locations and that “people suffering from all sorts of ailments eat at KFC.”
"We have taken this report very seriously from the beginning," KFC spokesman Rick Maynard told Yahoo News. "Since our franchisee was unable to verify the incident in their internal investigation, they hired a third-party consultant to conduct an independent investigation to help resolve the matter. Along with our franchisee, we remain determined to get to the truth and address the situation appropriately."
As a result of the fallacious claim, the Wilcher family was able to raise over $135,000 in donations including a $30,000 donation by KFC to help fund the little girl’s medical costs. Reconstructive surgeons from around the United States also came forward to offer their services pro-bono. Maynard said that KFC would still contribute their $30,000 donations toward Victoria’s medical bills even if the story turned out to be a hoax. In spite of claims that the story is a falsehood, the Wilcher family maintains they have not made up any lies for monetary gain and that the incident did occur.
A statement posted on the Victoria’s Victories Facebook page on Tuesday read:
I promise its not a hoax, I never thought any of this would blow up the way it has. The article circling the web calling this a hoax is untrue. The article it self say the investigation is not complete. It is not over until KFC releases a statement. The media outlet running this story is not connected with KFC. The family has not asked for anything, a attorney is handling all the media publicity for the family pro bono. 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.
According to Mullins’ account, the pair stopped into the fast food establishment after physical therapy because Victoria was hungry while being on a feeding tube. When Mullins went to order a large sweet tea, mashed potatoes, and gravy, a KFC employee allegedly told her, "We have to ask you to leave because her face is disrupting our customers." The following week Mullins took to the Facebook page started to support the little girl through her ordeal, Victoria’s Victories, asking supporters "Does this face look scary to you?"