WHAT WAS CLAIMED
A woman is wanted in Whanganui, New Zealand, for stabbing her foster parents.
OUR VERDICT
False. The image shows a woman arrested in the US and there is no evidence linking her to any crime in NZ.
AAP FACTCHECK - Residents of a New Zealand community are being warned about a woman accused of stabbing her foster parents to death, but it's a social media hoax.
The fake crime alert is one of many fabricated posts designed to boost engagement.
Once the post receives enough likes and shares, scammers typically edit the posts to feature fraudulent advertisements or suspicious links.
A Facebook post shared in a Whanganui community group falsely warns about a dangerous suspect on the run.
"Everyone in #whanganui should stay alert. A 22-year-old woman, **Kaela Leach**, is on the run after allegedly stabbing her foster parents to death," the post reads.
"She's been knocking on doors, claiming to be homeless, but is dangerous. If you see her, contact the police and be cautious. Let's help find her!"
However, the woman in the photo is not wanted in New Zealand and is not connected to any such crime.
Using reverse image search tools, AAP FactCheck identified the person in the images as US woman Kaela Leach.
According to Chicago Police records, she was taken into custody on February 15, 2025, for unrelated offences, including possession of a controlled substance.
There is no evidence Leach has any connection to New Zealand or the Whanganui area.
The Facebook post follows a now-common scam pattern: a fabricated warning with dramatic claims is used to bait engagement in local Facebook groups.
Once the post garners enough likes or shares, scammers edit the content to push phishing links or fake ads.
AAP FactCheck has previously exposed similar hoax posts shared in community groups across Australia and New Zealand.
HOW TO SPOT A SCAM POST ON FACEBOOK - RED FLAGS
Exercise caution if a Facebook post includes several of these features:
- An urgent appeal to widely share the post.
- No provided contact details or requests for users to send direct or private messages.
- Vague information about the alleged crime, missing persons or giveaways.
- An account posting the content that is newly created, lacks a profile picture, has few friends, or is not based in the area concerned.
- Disabled comments, preventing warnings or clarifications from other users.
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