UPDATE: On Tuesday KFC announced two separate investigations found there was no proof to support the family's claim Victoria Wilcher was asked to leave the restaurant because her facial injuries were scaring customers. A statement emailed to CNN read: "Neither revealed any evidence that the incident occurred and we consider the investigation closed. We are honouring our commitment to make a $30,000 donation to assist with Victoria's medical bills. We hope everyone keeps Victoria in their thoughts and prayers. She will certainly be in ours."
The family Facebook page has since been taken offline and a GoFundMe page has suspended its fund-raising campaign and is offering to return donations.
A family who claimed their little girl was asked to leave KFC because her facial scars were “disrupting” other diners, has been accused of making their story up.
They said three-year-old Victoria Wilcher was in a Jackson, Mississippi branch of the diner when she was approached by staff who claimed they were receiving complaints from other customers, earlier this month.
The little girl sustained massive facial injuries including the loss of an eye after she was attacked by pit bulls at her grandmother’s house in April, according to a Facebook page set up to support her.
But on Friday a KFC spokesman revealed the firm had not been able to verify that the incident occurred – and have called in a third party consultant to look into the allegations.
A statement reported by WJTV said: “We continue to take this report seriously and of course have great sympathy for Victoria and her family.
“Since we have so far not been able to verify the incident in our internal investigation, we have also hired a third-party consultant to conduct an independent investigation to help us resolve this matter.
“We have always prided ourselves on respect for all people and will continue to emphasise this to all our employees. In addition, regardless of the outcome of the current investigation, KFC Corporation has committed $30,000 to assist with Victoria’s medical bills. Along with the KFC Corporation, we are determined to get to the truth and address the situation properly.”
It cites an anonymous source as stating CCTV from the store does not appear to reveal any children matching Victoria’s description on the day the incident is said to have occurred.
It is also claimed there was no record of the food the family said they ordered in the store's computer till systems.
“It just didn’t happen,” the source told the paper.
Meanwhile Victoria’s family have issued a statement denies the claims on her Facebook page. It says:
“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.”
