Prankster Uses Google to Trick Dad Into Thinking Daughter Died in Japan
- Posted on March 16, 2011 at 1:07am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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OFUNATO, Japan (AP) — For several hours, Ashley Russell thought his daughter was dead. A missing persons website set up to track Japan’s tsunami said so.
The Australian father eventually discovered that the post was a hoax and his daughter, Alice Byron, is safe.
Sydney-based Russell told of his distress Tuesday after finding a message on the Google site Saturday afternoon saying the 21-year-old woman had been confirmed dead at a hospital in the devastated coastal town of Ofunato, where she had been teaching English for nine months.
It cited the name and telephone number of a real hospital, but gave a fake doctor’s name. Her father said frantic friends in Japan were able to telephone the hospital and confirm the deception.
“There are some evil people out there,” said Russell, a 48-year-old publisher. “Her employer told me other people had suffered the same hoax as well.”
With thousands still missing from the devastating tsunami that followed Japan’s worst-ever earthquake on Friday, the potential for such hoaxes is great.
“These people are looking for a reaction,” said Byron, who was tracked down by The Associated Press at Ofunato City Hall in stricken northeast Iwate prefecture on Tuesday. “There are people on the Internet who want to make light of a bad situation and make edgy jokes. … It doesn’t take long for the Internet hate machine to roll into action.”
She said she was at her Ofunato home when the quake hit. She climbed the hill behind her apartment and watched the unstoppable water carry cars and massive amounts of debris inland.
“One of the hardest things to deal with psychologically was not contacting my family to tell them I was safe,” she said. She was eventually able to send a brief e-mail saying ‘safe. evacuated to town hall center. love you.’ using a satellite phone.
But she added: “People have lost far more than I have, and I think the fact that a person had a hoax played on them, in the scheme of this disaster, is one of the most minor, insignificant things imaginable, even if it did cause my parents great hurt.
“The hurt that other people are feeling in this city is larger by an unimaginable degree.”
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dontbotherme
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 8:26pmI am always shocked by the evil that one person can do to another. I’m so glad that everything worked out well for this family. Wish there was a way to find the person who committed this act & introduce him (or her) to the family. Put faces to the pain he caused.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 6:16pmGive it time, he or she will reap what they sowed. God works in ways when you least expect it.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 7:00pmGod works. I’m pretty sure he gave it up after seven days or so. but maybe, he came back once to put man in his place, but gee, that was prehistory too. I’m sure Noah was pleased – at least at first. then he turned into a wino and one of his son’s became the butt of the rest of the world.
Report Post »MUDFLAPS
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 5:13pmthose silly little liberals……
Report Post »millefiore
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 3:33pmTheir bad karma will get them for pulling this prank. How insensitive people can be any more.
On another note. I was told by a government official a law probably would NOT be enacted to make it punishable to DRIVE and TEXT because it was like California laws that are becoming to intrusive into peoples lives and I thought what LIFE if you are hit and killed by a person who is inattentive (Selfish) texting while driving causing an accident and loss of life. This was from a person who is in charge of writing and crafting bills that are voted on to become laws. We have lost all common sense in the world. The legalese is condemning us.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 9:31amYou call that a “PRANK”???????????????????
Report Post »Kisha
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 7:36amIt only gives me greater resolve that “God” lives. To know such evil lives as well on this earth. God will wipe away our tears, heal our hearts, and give us strength. Japan has all my prayers. I cannot imagine the terror they are facing. But I know they will survive this, as that is what God has planned for us all. To survive, even in the greatest face of evil. May He strike them down with his mighty fist.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 9:32amSick KISHA, you are sick, so sick.
Report Post »Loc
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 7:25amYou know it’s a liberal!
Report Post »Kiti45
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 7:24amWhat a complete A$$ Thank God she’s okay and that her family now knows it. Also the cruelty heaped on top of this tradgey is just beyond my ability to comprehend.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 7:16amWow, some people have a strange way of getting their jollies.
Report Post »Stu D. Baker-Hawk
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 7:00amI take comfort knowing that a nice little corner of Hell is being prepared for evil garbage like this.
Report Post »tbear44
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 6:57amWow. Almost unbelievable how stupid some people are. It’s a real shame.
Report Post »moonpeace
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 6:49amI actually heard an older man say, “F@#% the Japanese! I wouldn’t help them after what they did to us at Pearl Harbor.’ I thought, my God, man, that was a long, long time ago. That is just like blaming me for my ancestor’s involvement with slavery.
Report Post »sandyn
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 6:47amIt just amazes me that so much cruelty exists, beating animals to death or other torture, pulling up plants and destroying bus shelters, what is the point? If it was personal I could almost understand it, but just making a choice to spend ones time in destruction is so beyond me. Did these people have parents? My children (40 and 39) would never have thought to do destructive things, never mind actually do them. And their children seem to completely understand that as well. I sometimes despair of our world.
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 5:21amThank God she is safe. Humans can be so cruel, yet so heroic. Too bad there aren’t more of the heroes, although there seems to be many in Japan.
Report Post »leakimo
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 4:34amThe person who did this needs to join the person in jail from the previous story about the flashing of the police lights using their cell phone app.
Report Post »Conservophiliac
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 3:54amSnowleopard said Liberal …
Report Post »ImprobableSage
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 2:43amMake no mistake, Diane: There is evil, unspeakable, diabolical, innovative evil, in the world. Not to worry: God’s judgment is the ultimate manifestation of the adage, “What goes around, comes around.”
Report Post »ShiningRadiance
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 2:33am4chan’s trolling again.
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 2:13amThere are some disturbingly sick people in the World. I can’t imagine why anyone would do this.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 2:38amI was just wondering the same thing myself, Diane. I mean, what is the point? I hope whoever did this is really proud of himself or herself.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 2:42amWhoever did this needs to be dealt with harshly and given a liberal dose of time getting their head examined by a ton of shrinks who never let them see the light of day again; I am glad indeed that she is alive, and pray no one else will need to endure yet another living hell like he did.
Report Post »walkwithme1966
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 3:14amWhoever did that was a really sick individual – it is beyond my ability to understand people such as that!!
Report Post »http://wp.me/pYLB7-KF
phil1765
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 3:18amWhat kind of a moron would do this type of thing? During a time like the quake\tsunami in Japan should be the last time that someone would do something like this. I really can’t believe that our world has come to this point. There is no humor whatsoever in this situation, and this weak prank was actually sick and twisted beyond belief.
Report Post »kryptonite
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 3:31amA psycho who gets a kick out of other people’s suffering and death. He‘s probably under the DOJ’s Miscreant Protection Program.
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 3:34amCan you just imagine going thru this? What kind of sick person would think this is fun? I am glad she is ok and I hope they catch whoever is doing this.In the midst of all this horror someone is trying to add pain to it.
Report Post »Incredible.
SpankDaMonkey
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 7:20am.
Diane TX
I can’t imagine why anyone would do this.
They were just having fun….
Report Post »Buck Bagaw
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 7:24amThe “proper” punishment should be visited upon this heartless bastard.
Report Post »Loc
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 7:25amDiane, these people are not sick; they are evil!
Report Post »teahugger
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 7:26amI have to remind myself that the good people of this world, who would never even think to do this kind of thing let alone carry it out, outnumber the sick and evil people by far. It’s the few heinous acts that are so glaringly opposite decent principles that make the news and get noticed. Those of us who are praying for the victims are not in the media.
Report Post »bry
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 8:40amA parents worst nightmare brought via a hoax, what damaged mind was inspired to create such a horror? There is a special place in hell reserved for those who find joy in the sufferings of others.
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 9:21am@Showtime
Report Post »They definitely are NOT proud of themselves. The only reason that they would do something like this is because they have such a deep seated hatred and self loathing for themselves that they can do nothing but feel the same things towards everyone else as well.
Taquoshi
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 1:11pmWe had a train disaster in the 1800′s in our town when train derailed into the river. Some fool decided to declare himself dead (probably to avoid paying bills or something), along with a number of others, who were not only not on the train, but alive and well. They threw the fool into the slammer for a few months. Don’t know what happened to him, but he was no longer welcomed in our town.
Report Post »calamari12
Posted on March 16, 2011 at 2:41pmpeople who do this sort of thing should be taken out and HORSE WHIPPED!! I mean it.
Report Post »