CNN and Democrat Rep Cori Bush paraded this woman on national TV as the poster girl for why we need to extend the eviction moratorium.
A Las Vegas “mother” who claimed she was facing eviction — prompting donors to pony up more than $200,000 — is just the babysitter of the three kids she identified as her children in a CNN report.
Dasha Kelly, 32, ended up copping to CNN on Monday that she’s not the biological mother of the girls, ages 5, 6 and 8, who were featured alongside her in a segment last week on the federal eviction moratorium that had ended days earlier.
CNN said Kelly’s story “generated a lot of interest” after its initial report, which featured video footage of her and the girls inside her home after the network found her online fundraiser seeking $1,900 to pay back rent.
“My name is Kelly and I have 3 daughters in Nevada,” her plea read. “We were maintaining just before this pandemic hit. Now we are suffering … Please help with anything you
The three young girls referred to Kelly as their mom during CNN’s visit, but another woman, Shadia Halo, later identified herself as their biological mother, reporter Nick Watt said.
An emotional Kelly appeared on CNN a second time last week alongside Missouri Rep. Cori Bush after the Biden administration announced a new 60-day eviction moratorium in counties where the transmission of COVID-19 is either substantial or high.
“I’m just so fortunate right now, this is beyond me,” Kelly told Bush. “When I put that up, I never thought that anybody would have reached out, especially CNN, and to hear that a congressperson — my story reached you — this is just amazing.”
Bush told Kelly that she and her family deserved to have lawmakers working for them.
Kelly’s fundraiser had garnered more than $212,000 as of Tuesday. Her GoFundMe page has now clarified that the three girls recognize her as a “mother figure” and that the former casino card dealer loves them unconditionally.
A rep for GoFundMe told the network that the funds raised by Kelly will remain on hold until her information is verified and that no amount had been withdrawn.
Anyone who donated to Kelly can request a refund through Aug. 23, the spokeswoman said.