The controversy started with a post on the Facebook Page Victoria's Victories. It read: 'Does this face look scary to you?
Maybe you've read the headline KFC probes whether scarred girl was asked to leave
(http://www.wspa.com/...)
Here is what is supposed to have happened:
1) A 3 year old lost one eye and control of the nerves on one side of her face in an April bull dog in Jackson, Mississippi.
2) She cannot eat solid food and is tube fed. She loves Kentucky Fried Chicken and wanted some mashed potatoes. Her grandma, Kelly Mullins, obliged after a visit to the doctor.
3) It is alleged that restaurant employees asked the grandma to take her food as takeout and leave because her facial injuries disturbed other patrons. Her grandmoher told WAPT-TV that, "They just told us, they said, 'We have to ask you to leave because her face is disrupting our customers,'" she told WAPT-TV (http://bit.ly/...).
Victoria wept all the way home and now is embarrassed by her appearance - something that wasn't the case before, Mullins said.
"She won't even look in the mirror anymore," Mullins said. "When we go to a store, she doesn't even want to get out" of the car.
The allegation about KFC was made Thursday on "Victoria's Victories," by a Facebook page following Victoria Wilcher's recovery from a pit bull attack in April. The administrator posted a photo showing Victoria smiling shyly in spite of her facial scars and cartoon-decorated eye patch, and wrote, "Does this look scary to you? Last week at KFC in Jackson MS this precious face was asked to leave because her face scared the other diners."
KFC posted an apology the next morning, requesting details.
The company is also giving $30,000 toward Victoria Wilcher's medical bills, a spokesman said Sunday. KFC is also planning to give the entire family and friends the "biggest and best Fried Chicken Picnic feast ever." once she is well enough to enjoy.
"As soon as we were notified of this report on Friday, we immediately began an investigation, as this kind of hurtful and disrespectful action would not be tolerated by KFC. Regardless of the outcome of our investigation, we have apologized to Victoria's family and are committed to assisting them.
Victoria was attacked by pit bulls at her grandfather's home. The dogs broke her nose, both jaws, cheekbones and right eye socket; the right side of her face is paralyzed and she lost that eye, according to her Facebook site. Her bottom jaw was reconstructed but she needs a feeding tube and must grow more bone in her face before more surgery is possible, it states. (http://aattp.org/...)
The grandfather and his girlfriend kept 10 pit bulls in his backyard, and the three that attacked the child burst through the back door of the residence while she was playing. Both the grandfather and his girlfriend were bitten in the attack as they tried to defend the girl Two of the dogs were shot and killed by the grandfather during the altercation. Both have been charge with child endangerment. (with thanks to SGA here at DK for this source: http://www.clarionledger.com/... )
Here is what I am wondering. Assuming that the events went down a they are recorded here....What went through the minds of those customers? those employees? when this happened? What sense of entitlement seized them? What narcissistic impulse took over? What mean-spirited sense of self-righteousness ruled the day? The evidence builds that in some places it is perfectly fine not to give a damn about your fellow human beings. It helps me understand why there is so little compassion in play as a whole in many parts of our country.
For another "take" on this from another DK Diarist:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Mon Jun 23, 2014 at 8:06 PM PT: "Girl "tossed from KFC" Seems to Be a Hoax." Please see http://www.dailykos.com/... for a disturbing follow-up. It would appear that the people whose actions are disturbing in this story are in that poor kid's family.