Oliver’s parents were brought to tears when they realised scammers were using a picture of their son (Picture: SWNS)
The parents of a nine-month-baby who choked to death were devastated to find out scammers were using a picture of their young son to con money from well-wishers.
Oliver Steeper was at Jelly Beans Day Nursery in Ashford, Kent in 2021 when he choked on food and was unable to breathe. He died six days later at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
His heartbroken parents, Lewis and Zoe, set up the Oliver Steeper Foundation to raise money and anti-choking devices in his memory.
But they were disgusted to see an apparently hacked Facebook page has started posting a picture of Oliver in hospital, asking for money to pay for medical treatment.
Lewis and Zoe were brought to tears when they saw the scammer was using a picture taken just days before their son passed away.
The scammer’s Facebook post reads: ‘Little boy needs your prayers and thoughts. He is critically ill and fighting for his life.
‘Please say a prayer or spare a thought for Oliver, we need all the strength we can possible get hold of to try an get through this. If you want to help the family, PayPal: (followed by payment details).’
Oliver choked while at nursery (Picture: Lewis Steeper/SWNS)
In a post on the charity’s Facebook page, Lewis and Zoe warned their followers of the scam.
The post read: ‘We have been made aware of a scam asking people for money using my photo of Oliver from September 2021 during the darkest times of our lives.
‘We are beyond heartbroken at this and absolutely despise anyone doing this.
‘I will now be seeking legal advice against both the account holder and the account holder of the email address shown.
‘How could someone be so deceitful to use our little boy, a picture from the darkest times of our life, to deceive people out of money?
‘Please do not give money to anyone asking for anything to do with Oliver, unless it’s our own official GoFundMe page. Angry doesn’t cover it.’
Dad Lewis added: ‘One of our friends sent us the post so I immediately went to find it. I was livid.
‘We were both just reduced to tears. It’s absolutely disgusting and I just hope no one has fallen for it.’
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The couple have reported the account to PayPal and asked for any donations made to be returned, as well as the page which the post was made from, and say it is an 80-year-old woman who has been hacked.
Lewis said: ‘We have our own official fundraising page and that’s the only one we use. I haven’t contacted the police yet but I am going to.’
Despite this heartbreak, Lewis said it is humbling to see followers of their foundation have got their backs emotionally and physically.
He added: ‘They support us and we couldn’t do it without them.
‘We are thankful to them for the support – life unfortunately has to go on and this is just another bump in the road that we’ve got to get over in terms of what’s in store for us in life.’
The Oliver Steeper Foundation has raised more than £14,000 so far and the couple have applied for charity status.
Those wishing to make a donation to the genuine site can find it at http://www.oliversfoundation.org.uk or https://http://www.gofundme.com/f/lifevac-for-childcare-settings
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‘How could someone be so deceitful to use our little boy, a picture from the darkest times of our life, to deceive people out of money?
