“Entire port in Delaware on lockdown? 60 plus kids in shipping containers.”
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No, dozens of children weren’t found in shipping containers in Delaware
A recent Facebook post wrongly claims that dozens of children were found in shipping containers in Delaware. It’s the latest in a host of baseless claims that say child trafficking is being ignored in the news.
"Entire port in Delaware on lockdown?" the post says. "60 plus kids in shipping containers… Where’s the media?"
This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
Steve Sapp, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s mid-Atlantic region, including Delaware, told us the claims in this Facebook post are "bogus."
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"Customs and Border Protection thoroughly investigated the claim and found zero evidence to substantiate this false rumor," he said in an email.
We looked for information that might corroborate this Facebook post but found none. There was news coverage of this Facebook post, though — fact-checks debunking these claims.
False internet claims that prey on fears about human trafficking are central to the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory, which perpetuates the idea that the world is run by a cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles — including prominent Democrats and celebrities — and that President Donald Trump is working to expose them.
We rate this post False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, Sept. 6, 2020
PolitiFact, No, 39 missing kids weren’t found in a double wide trailer in Georgia, Sept. 1, 2020
Email interview with Steve Sapp, public affairs officer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Sept. 9, 2020
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No, dozens of children weren’t found in shipping containers in Delaware
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