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Kyle Rittenhouse’s mother is 49, not 38, as some social media posts have claimed
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Kyle Rittenhouse’s mother, Wendy Rittenhouse, is 49, not 38.
Kyle Rittenhouse’s mother did not drop her son off "in the middle of a riot armed with an assault rifle," as social media posts once claimed.
We rated that claim False in 2021, during Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial in the 2020 shooting deaths of two people at a Kenosha, Wisconsin, protest.
Rittenhouse, who was 17 when the shooting happened, said he fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, in self-defense; a third person was injured. Rittenhouse was acquitted of criminal charges in the shootings, though he still faces civil litigation.
Meanwhile, more misinformation about his mother, Wendy Rittenhouse, has populated social media platforms.
"Kyle Rittenhouse’s mom is 38. 38," one June 2 Threads post said, sharing a photo of Wendy Rittenhouse.
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This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
This post’s photo is from 2021, during a period when Wendy Rittenhouse spoke publicly in support of her son. But, even then, Wendy Rittenhouse wasn’t 38.
Public records reflect that she’s 49, born in November 1974.
We rate claims that she’s 38 False.
PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.
Our Sources
Threads post, June 2, 2024
PolitiFact, Kyle Rittenhouse’s mother did not bring him to a Kenosha riot armed with a rifle, Nov. 15, 2021
NPR, Kyle Rittenhouse is acquitted of all charges in the trial over killing 2 in Kenosha, Nov. 19, 2021
The Guardian, Kyle Rittenhouse sued by estate of man he killed at Kenosha anti-racism protest, Aug. 30, 2023
NJ.com, Kyle Rittenhouse’s ex-buddy: He’s in ‘extremely dangerous territory’ in shooting lawsuit, Aug. 9, 2024
New York Post, Kyle Rittenhouse’s mom blasts Biden, claims he ‘defamed’ her son, Nov. 12, 2021
VoterRecords.com, Wendy Elaine Rittenhouse's Florida Voter Registration, visited June 4, 2024
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Kyle Rittenhouse’s mother is 49, not 38, as some social media posts have claimed
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