Widely shared 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, which circulated in large community groups, featured images of a bruised child and alleged he was rescued by “Deputy Tyler Cooper.” They encouraged users to “flood feeds” in an emotional plea to help locate the boy’s family.
But West Mercia Police have stated that no such incident occurred in Hereford—and no officer named Tyler Cooper works for their department. Norfolk Constabulary also confirmed the event never happened in King’s Lynn, and noted that the rank of “deputy” isn’t even used within their force.
These posts are part of a growing trend of Facebook hoaxes designed to manipulate emotions. Often, once they’ve gained traction, they’re edited to promote scams—like shady cashback schemes or misleading real estate ads.
Tip: If a story seems suspicious or overly emotional, always verify it with credible sources before sharing.