False Missing Child Posts Spread on Facebook: What You Need to Know

Viral Facebook posts claiming a young boy was found alone at night by a police officer in either Hereford or King’s Lynn have been confirmed as false. The posts, shared in large community groups, include images of a bruised child and claim he was rescued by “Deputy Tyler Cooper.” They urge people to “flood feeds” to help find the child’s family.

However, West Mercia Police confirmed no such incident occurred in Hereford and that no officer named Tyler Cooper exists on their force. Norfolk Constabulary also confirmed the story did not happen in King’s Lynn and that the rank of “deputy” isn’t used in their organization.

These are hoax posts—a troubling trend on Facebook. They often exploit emotional triggers, then later get edited to promote scams, like cashback websites or real estate ads. To avoid being misled:

Be wary of posts with disabled comments.

Check if the post is shared word-for-word in multiple locations.

Look for a credible source or news report.

Report suspicious content directly to Facebook.

These hoaxes can overwhelm local groups and spread misinformation. Meta has been urged to take stronger action to address this growing problem.