DCH Discredits Social Media Post Of Stolen Baby As 'Fake News'

TUSCALOOSA, AL — DCH Health System says a social media post alleging that an infant had been stolen from a "local hospital" in Northport is a fake.

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The Tuscaloosa-based hospital system took to Facebook on Wednesday to caution locals against sharing the post or believing its content to be true.

"Similar false stories have been shared in other cities across the country," DCH Health System said. "The local police would have issued something by now if it was true, which it is not. In the fake posts, there is no mention of a specific hospital by name."

In the post, a community alert is presented that alleges a two-day old baby boy was taken by a woman impersonating a nurse at a hospital in Northport, before providing a pixelated still shot claiming to be a photo from a security camera.

DCH then explained that, in the event of an actual kidnapping, a CCTV image shown to the public would come from the local police department and not the hospital or other unverified sources.

"Please recognize small details that can mean the difference between real and fake news," the hospital system urged.

For those wishing to learn more about how to identify fake news or intentional misinformation, check out these free resources from PBS.

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