Story of Santa Claus with Dying Child Can't Be Verified
Posted by: Timothy Tibbetts on 12/15/2016 07:02 AM
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The Knoxville News Sentinel, who originally broke the viral story about a child dying in Santa Claus' arms now says that it can't be verified.
Schmitt-Matzen had not approached the News Sentinel originally with the story. The information came to the newspaper indirectly through a known source, and Schmitt-Matzen was then contacted and asked about the incident.
At the time of that initial interview, he said he had promised to protect the identities of the child’s family and the nurse who summoned him to the hospital bedside. In follow-up interviews, he has continued to hold this position and stand by his account.
They have been able to identify Schmitt-Matzen identity and that he does play Santa Claus but they have not been able to verify the story that he brought a gift to the dying child.
It seems that this would not be so difficult to do. How many children died on that day? No obituary? Then, of course, we do have to consider the privacy of the family, if there is one and that we understand. But, it's 2016 where news now gets posted to be first, not best.
The newspaper now reports that they can no longer stand behind the story.
Better late than never.
Schmitt-Matzen had not approached the News Sentinel originally with the story. The information came to the newspaper indirectly through a known source, and Schmitt-Matzen was then contacted and asked about the incident.
At the time of that initial interview, he said he had promised to protect the identities of the child’s family and the nurse who summoned him to the hospital bedside. In follow-up interviews, he has continued to hold this position and stand by his account.
They have been able to identify Schmitt-Matzen identity and that he does play Santa Claus but they have not been able to verify the story that he brought a gift to the dying child.
It seems that this would not be so difficult to do. How many children died on that day? No obituary? Then, of course, we do have to consider the privacy of the family, if there is one and that we understand. But, it's 2016 where news now gets posted to be first, not best.
The newspaper now reports that they can no longer stand behind the story.
Better late than never.
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