Cannibal Babysitter on Meth Eats Toddler-Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
A babysitter in Missouri ate a 3-month-old toddler after smoking crystal methamphetamine.
The Truth:
A notorious fake news website is behind false reports that a babysitter ate a toddler after smoking meth.
The rumor started with a post that appeared at World News Daily Report in January 2016 under the headline, “Missouri: Babysitter on Crystal Meth Eats 3-Month-Old Toddler,” and has since been shared nearly 300,000 times on social media:
De Soto, MO | Two Missouri parents were horrified to discover their babysitter had turned into a crystal meth-smoking cannibal when they found the remains of their three-month-old child cooked in the microwave.
After a night out at the movies, the young parents came back home to find a confused babysitter under the influence of alcohol and crystal meth who had lost consciousness and was covered in blood in the family’s living room.
Moments later, they made the gruesome discovery when the mother saw something moving behind the microwave door.
World News Daily Report is known for publishing spoof articles with sensational headlines that readers often mistake for actual news. The website’s disclaimer states that the site assumes “all responsibility for the satirical nature of its articles.” Taken out of context on social media, however, many readers breeze over the headline or see others’ reaction and mistake these hoax reports for factual news:
The rumor that a babysitter on meth ate a toddler, and all other rumors stemming from World News Daily Report, should be considered fiction.