Fake GoFundMe account in the name of 8-week-old McKenna shut down after parents are alerted
A fraudulent fundraiser has been shut down after it starting reeling in money from people trying to donate to an 8-week-old baby in intensive care at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
McKenna Hovenga, the baby whose stolen the hearts of thousands, has been in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unity at Mayo Clinic's St. Marys Hospital since being hit in the head by a softball on May 2.
One of the more than 211,000 people following the "Healing for McKenna" page on Facebook alerted McKenna's parents, Lee and Kassy Hovenga, about the fake GoFundMe account on Sunday, and it's since been shut down.
Healing for McKenna, Facebook
The account appears to have only raised $100, but tells a far sicker story about whoever thought they could profit off a family's misfortune.
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It also prompted the family to shut down both the real GoFundMe and YouCaring accounts set up in McKenna's name, of which they plan to switch to what they feel will be more secure methods via PayPal and a credit union.
"It's unfortunate that there are people who would take a tragedy of others and try to benefit themselves," a family member said in a Facebook update. "Unfortunately it's just another symptom of the fallen world we live in.
"Thank you all for rallying together to have the fraudulent account shut down and then giving me some ideas of safer, more beneficial way to raise funds to cover McKenna's ever increasing medical bills (they are already receiving them, believe it or not), as well as helping to pay Lee and Kassy's bills while Lee is off work. A medical event of this kind can be financially catastrophic and we so appreciate the generosity so many have shown this young couple."
McKenna was in Kassy's arms at a softball game in Waverly, Iowa on May 2 when an overthrown ball hit her in the head. Since then, Kassy has been able to hold her little girl just once .... on Mother's Day.
