Fact Check: Do not believe this hoax about the death of Kobe Bryant’s wife
A video on YouTube shows a clip with a “BBC News” logo claiming the death of Vanessa Bryant, the wife of late Kobe Bryant. India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the news to be a hoax.
Just weeks after the death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter in a chopper crash, many on social media are confused with a viral message claiming that his wife has committed suicide.
A video on YouTube shows a clip with a BBC News logo claiming the death of Vanessa Bryant, the wife of late Kobe Bryant. The video shows a still graphics plate with the message R.I.P. Vanessa Bryant 1982-2020 and a picture of the Bryant couple in the background. The archived version of the video can be seen here.
The news clip is viral since the first week of February. Also posted by website w0rldnews.g0ldenbuzzers.com, it has been shared by thousands of people. The caption reads, BREAKING NEWS: VANESSA BRYANT Recorded her SUICIDE After Depression Attack this Morning.
Several Facebook users such as U Kyawkyaw Thet have also shared the viral news.
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the news to be a hoax. The YouTube video with the BBC logo is not genuine.
As one opens the video, a news anchor of Fox News appears after sometime, saying Finally, I have a very sad news to share with you today. The video ends abruptly, asking the user to share it on Facebook to continue. But even after sharing it on Facebook, the video does not open.
This is not how BBC News videos operate. The news about Vanessa Bryant’s death is completely false as there is no such credible news report available.
Rather on Valentine’s Day, three weeks after the death of her husband, Vanessa Bryant posted a touchy message on her Instagram account. This was reported in Daily Mail on February 14, 2020.
International fact-check website Snopes had also debunked this rumour.
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