Fact Check: Is The Bullied Quaden Bayles 18 Years Old?
Writer: Aditi Chattopadhyay (Fact Checker)
Aditi, part of the fact checking team of The Logical Indian likes to read, write, cook and laugh, in short live life as it is supposed to be. What makes her fascinated is to discover the truth behind a story and more often than not, it is either fact or myth at the end.
27 Feb 2020 9:55 AM GMT | Updated 24 April 2020 9:05 AM GMT
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By : Aditi Chattopadhyay
Aditi, part of the fact checking team of The Logical Indian likes to read, write, cook and laugh, in short live life as it is supposed to be. What makes her fascinated is to discover the truth behind a story and more often than not, it is either fact or myth at the end.
Some of the social media users have claimed that Quaden Bayles is an 18-year-old man who is scamming the internet for money.
Bullied at school for his dwarfism, 9-year-old Quaden Bayles from Queensland, Australia sobs uncontrollably in the back of his mother's car. "Give me a knife, I want to kill myself," Quaden tells his mother Yarraka Bayles who recently shared a heartbreaking video on Facebook Live this week to raise awareness of the impact of bullying.
In the video, she can be heard saying, "This is what bullying does," she said in the video. "Can you please educate your children, your families, your friends?" The video went viral on social media platforms. However, netizens raised questions on the authenticity of the reported incidents. It was alleged that Quaden Bayles is actually an 18-year-old adult.
wtf is this ? hes 18? and an actor? #QuadenBayles pic.twitter.com/301MlLdTma
— shanrrr (@shanohni) February 21, 2020
The video led to an online movement, Celebrities expressed their support on twitter. A Go-Fund Me page set up by US comedian Brad Williams raised almost $170,000 -- and he's using the money to send Bayles and his mother to Disneyland in California. This led to Netizens claiming that he was scamming the internet for money.
Bruh I think we all got played.
— Toray (@TorayKortan) February 21, 2020
That 'bullied suicidal 9 year old' ...
He's 18, wealthy & a famous actor. Looks like it was for clout. Man raised 100's of thousands. pic.twitter.com/S9z3W3U8dP
" He's 18" is trending and all I can think of is. Y'all are so quick to donate to people's go Fund me that end up scamming ya'll but when I asked for money to get Sallie Mae's bitch ass off MY ASS I only got $5 . Make that MAKE SENSE people. pic.twitter.com/VxiDpXeiWS
— 🖤💚💛🇯🇲 (@Jamaican_candy) February 21, 2020
As proof to back the claim, images of a boy who resembles as Quaden in more "adult" poses were also spread online. It was also claimed that the boy is an Instagram celebrity @quadoss and deleted captions pertaining to his 18 birthday.
wtf is this ? hes 18? and an actor? #QuadenBayles pic.twitter.com/301MlLdTma
— shanrrr (@shanohni) February 21, 2020
Claim:
Quaden Bayles is an 18-year-old man who lied about being a 9-year-old boy with dwarfism to scam the internet for money.
Fact Check:
The claim is false.
Instagram post misinterpreted to reveal Quaden Bayles' age.
The photograph of Quaden at a birthday party is from his official Instagram handle but it wasn't his birthday which was being celebrated. The photograph of the number 18 was one of several he posted after his friend Garlen's 18th birthday party. Scrolling through the images from the birthday party a photograph can be found which states "Garlen's 18th Birthday."
In 2015, a video report from the Australian news station Studio 10 features a then 4-year-old Quaden regarding a previous bullying incident.
It is so weird and wrong to even need to prove this but for anyone who still believes the ridiculous conspiracy theory Quaden Bayles is an adult, here he is on @Studio10au in 2015, aged four. NB No front teeth. We will blow this open next week: https://t.co/kgSLoHsh1c
— Joe Hildebrand (@Joe_Hildebrand) February 22, 2020
The 4-year-old in the above-displayed video is cannot be claimed to be actually 13. In 2012, Yarraka Bayles shared a series of photographs that showed her infant son on the beach. Bayles clearly mentions here that her son was going to be 15-month-old.
Several tweeter users also pointed out his real age.
https://t.co/E00CLSLkcP
— Nathan Darnold (@gargoranss) February 21, 2020
Fun fact, 9 year olds do in fact have the muscle to "lift paper money"
#QuadenBayles He's 18 ? No he's actually 9, like he says. These posts prove that they ain't lying. Look at the dates, he turned 9 two months ago. pic.twitter.com/gtz1ANmIKT
— Gianni (@splendidgianni) February 21, 2020
Given the evidence, it can be confirmed that an Instagram post by Quadem Bayles was misinterpreted to reveal his age.
If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343
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