On July 4th, severe flash flooding hit Texas’s Hill Country, leading to tragic fatalities. At least 135 individuals lost their lives, including 27 from Camp Mystic.
Among the deceased was an 18-year-old counselor, Chloe Childress, who is fondly remembered by her family for her joy, extensive friendships, deep faith, and vibrant energy.
In the wake of this tragedy, a woman from Florida reportedly impersonated the grieving family online to exploit their loss for financial gain. While Wendy and Matthew Childress coped with the sudden death of their daughter, Maitlin White, 28, from Crestview, Florida, faced felony charges for impersonation.
“This is completely unacceptable,” said Harris County Constable Alan Rosen, criticizing the actions taken after Childress’s tragic death.
White allegedly posed as Matthew Childress and set up fundraising pages on SpotFund and GoFundMe to solicit donations, claiming it was to assist the family of the fallen teenager. The family quickly alerted the authorities, stating, “We have nothing to do with this,” upon discovering the fraudulent pages created on July 8.
Rosen announced on July 11 that his office would investigate the impersonation case. Although the fraudulent account was taken down rapidly, it was reported that it had already raised around $1,500.
Authorities tracked White’s online activity and banking transactions, and it seems that White may have admitted to her scheme during a phone call with officials.
Rosen described the act as an “attempt to exploit people’s emotions” and highlighted its brutality against not only the grieving family but the entire community. He emphasized that such behavior wouldn’t be tolerated.
GoFundMe issued a statement confirming its stance against malicious activities on its platform. They acted swiftly to eliminate the fraudulent fundraiser, refund donors, and barred the individual from initiating future campaigns.
Although White has not been taken into custody yet, she isn’t alone in attempting to take advantage of the unfortunate incident. Some have even tried to politicize the tragic loss, with implications that the victim’s parents held prejudiced views.
