Viral Post About “Found Toddler” Is a Hoax—Police Confirm No Such Child or Officer Exists
You may have seen the viral Facebook post: a bruised toddler, allegedly found wandering alone at night in Hereford or King’s Lynn, rescued by a kind-hearted “Deputy Tyler Cooper.” The post urges readers to “flood Facebook feeds” to help reunite the boy with his family.
But here’s the truth: it’s completely fake.
Both West Mercia Police and Norfolk Constabulary have publicly confirmed that no such incident occurred in their jurisdictions. In fact:
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No officer named Tyler Cooper exists within West Mercia Police.
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Norfolk Constabulary doesn’t even use the title “Deputy.”
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No missing child report matching the boy’s description has been filed.
Why Fake Posts Like This Are Dangerous
At first glance, these posts seem well-intentioned. But they’re part of a growing trend on social media where emotionally charged hoaxes are used to gain rapid engagement—likes, shares, and comments.
Once the post goes viral, the original poster will edit the content, often replacing it with:
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Scam links
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Fake “cashback” offers
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Real estate clickbait
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Phishing attempts or data harvesting schemes
This manipulation exploits people’s empathy and uses public goodwill to push deceptive or even harmful content.
What You Can Do
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Don’t share posts unless you can verify them with a credible source.
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Look for signs of a hoax: vague details, no source link, emotionally charged language.
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Report the post to Facebook for spreading false information.
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Follow official police and news pages for reliable updates.
This story serves as an important reminder: not everything that tugs at your heartstrings is true. If you truly want to help children in danger, follow trusted organizations and amplify real stories—not fabricated ones.
Stay alert. Stay informed. And always check before you share.