The Facebook profile page of a Maryland school shooting victim was mistakenly changed to indicate she had died.
Jaelynn Willey’s Facebook page was changed Wednesday to say “remembering Jaelynn Willey” with a message: “We hope people who love Jaelynn will find comfort in visiting her profile to remember and celebrate her life.”
Jaelynn, though, was still alive and in critical condition Thursday at a Maryland hospital after Tuesday’s shooting at Great Mills High School in St. Mary’s County.
The page was changed again Thursday to remove the language suggesting Jaelynn had died. The family had been trying to get the page changed since Wednesday afternoon, said Lucinda Avis, a family friend who set up a fundraising page for Jaelynn.
Facebook would not respond on the record to questions from The Associated Press about what happened.
A post describing the company’s policies says Facebook will “memorialize” an account if a family member or friend submits a request. A form asks only for a name and date of death. The “proof of death” field is described as optional.
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