Outline Message circulating via social media claims that Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City is currently housing children missing from the Joplin Tornado and advises tornado victims looking for their kids to contact the hospital.
Brief Analysis
The claims in the message are inaccurate and misleading and it should not be reposted. All seven patients received at Children's Mercy have been identified and reunited with family. There are no unidentified Joplin children or teens at the hospital.
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Last updated: 26th May 2011
First published: 26th May 2011
Article written by Brett M. Christensen About Brett Christensen and Hoax-Slayer
Example
ATTENTION Joplin tornado victims looking for their kids call childrens mercy! A social worker there said the kids are scared! I dont have any names so call! Children's Mercy in KC 2401 Gillham Rd Kansas City, Missouri 64108...(816) 234-3000 PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING
If it was your child you would want this info...their cells don't work but some can access facebook PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep this going!
PLZ RT If your kids are missing from Tornado check Children's Mercy in Kansas City. The kids are in shock and... http:****************
Detailed Analysis
According to a message that is circulating rapidly via Facebook, Twitter and other social networking websites, the Children's Mercy hospital In Kansas City is currently treating children lost during the devastating tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri in May, 2011. The message urges tornado victims who have not found their children to contact the hospital to check. It also urges recipients to pass on the information to others in their network.
However, the claims in the message are inaccurate and misleading. In response to my query, a spokesperson from Children's Mercy has confirmed that there are currently no unidentified children or teens at the hospital. She notes that all seven children received at Children's Mercy have been identified and reunited with family members. She also posted the following messages on the hospital's Twitter page:
ALL 7 patients received by @ChildrensMercy from #Joplin have been identified & reunited w/their families. Please RT
No unidentified #Joplin children or teens @ChildrensMercy. For updates on Joplin go to: www.facebook.com/joplinmo. Please RT
Thus, sending on the message is unnecessary and may be counterproductive. Although well-intentioned, such messages can waste the time of busy hospital staff who must answer questions about the non-existent unidentified children from concerned members of the public. If you receive this message, please do not repost it. And please let the sender know that the information is incorrect.
