Balanced News Blog

For nearly two years, the campus newspaper at Southern Illinois University (the Daily Egyptian) chronicled the story of Sgt. Dan Kennings, a soldier serving in Iraq. The claim was that Sgt. Kennings was befriended by students at the school paper along with his young daughter Kodee, whose mother had died. Kodee’s frustrations about her mothers death and fears about her father being in Iraq were played out in the campus newspaper in heart-breaking letters to her father.

Here’s a sample of Kodees writing:

“Dear Daddy, I miss you and I want you to punch Saddam. Don’t die, OK dad? When you come home, can you stay home for real? You should find Saddam and run him over with your tank. Then you can come home. Do you wear your helmet when you sleep? I love you and don’t die. Love, Kodee”

But there was no Kodee Kennings; it was all made up. A former student was posing as the child’s guardian, and a man and young girl were hired to pose as Kodee and her father in public appearances.

The truth began to unfold when rumors were started that “Sgt. Kennings” had been killed in Iraq. The paper issued a complete retraction, apology and a news article Friday explaining what happened.

SOURCES:
MercuryNews.com
HoustonChronicle.com
ChicagoTribune.com