Many people want to have children, but many folks out there do not want anything to do with parenting. The task is relentless and often thankless work, and some people completely opt out of having children.
This was not the case for Geoffrey and Kaycee Lang, and they badly wanted children. When this couple from Pennsylvania announced to their family that they were expecting a child, everybody was happy for them. Their family and friends were thrilled about the situation.
The Happy Couple
There are many reasons why people want to have children. Some want to have kids to save their declining relationship; others want to have someone to take care of them when they get older, and others simply because they feel pressured by society.
However, the young couple, Geoffrey and Kaycee, seemed to have noble enough reasons to have a child. They had already suffered a miscarriage, and everybody was relieved and happy about it when they announced they were expecting a child.
They Seemed Ready
The couple had been together for quite some time, and they decided it was an excellent time to add a new member to the family. Since they had already tried before and failed, it was only natural for them to try again.
The couple had even bought a home. It's no easy feat to own a home for a first-time buyer. The process involves finding a property, securing financing, making an offer, getting the home inspected, and closing the deal.
Breaking The News
Kaycee posted her pregnancy results on social media. This was odd behavior and should have been the first warning sign that all was not as it should be. There are other ways to share the good news with close family and friends.
Many parents wait until the end of the first trimester to post the news. This is because the risk of a miscarriage gets lower once the pregnancy reaches the second trimester. However, Kaycee and Geoffrey did not wait.
The Secretive Couple
Nobody could have suspected anything wrong with the announcement or about the couple. On the surface, they just looked like two people who were in love and eager to expand their family. Family and friends knew they had been trying to get pregnant.
This child would have been a rainbow baby. A rainbow kid is one born to a family after they have lost a child due to a miscarriage, a termination of the pregnancy for medical reasons, or a stillbirth.
Good News
This was Kaycee's second pregnancy, and everybody was very sympathetic towards her and Geoffrey after losing her first baby. Loss can have very serious effects on an individual. Especially during the loss of an infant, many people feel helpless and lost.
Research suggests that mothers who have experienced miscarriages are more likely to suffer from clinical depression. Also, mothers can struggle to manage the needs of a healthy child after the loss of a baby. Therefore, they need special care.
Pictures Shared Throughout The Pregnancy
In the modern times of social media, it is easier to use a social platform to share exciting news with family and friends instead of having to call or text each person individually. This appeared to be Kaycee's reasoning.
Throughout her pregnancy, she shared pictures of herself to keep everybody updated. Some would argue that pregnancy is a private matter, and sharing these moments with only those very close to you is best. But Kaycee shared every step on the internet.
The Couple Was Super Excited
It is normal to be excited about the prospect of having a new baby in your home, and Kaycee was no different. She had many plans and made all the standard preparations that an expectant mother makes.
To prepare for a little one, couples usually do a few things. For example, buy all the gear like clothes, diapers, wipes, and the tot's crib. This will gives the expectant couple peace of mind while they wait for the infant to come.
Is It A Boy Or A Girl
It was time to reveal the gender of the little one. Kaycee posted on social media to ask her followers to guess the gender of the tot. Kaycee had gone for an ultrasound and already knew what to expect.
Ultrasound machines use sound waves and a computer screen to show pictures of the baby inside the womb. The purpose of these pictures is to show healthcare providers how the fetus is developing. Ultrasounds are pretty accurate at showing the gender.
Baby Shower Time
Kaycee's best friend, Cynthia, organized the baby shower. Kaycee's delivery was coming very soon, which was a reason to celebrate. The two of them had been friends since childhood, and Cynthia had been the first to know about Kaycee's pregnancy.
Traditionally, these showers are a party to celebrate the birth of a newborn. Also, the shower serves as a way to show emotional support for the new mom. Some of these parties are complex, with games and activities for the party attendees.
Cynthia Arranged Everything
Cynthia was very excited and happy for the couple and so she offered to organize the event. Cynthia managed to arrange a pretty great affair. She had to spend $300 solely on food and gifts. However, Cynthia was happy to help out her best friend.
Baby showers can cost anywhere from $100 to $1K. The cost depends on the venue, the number of guests invited, the food, and the choices made on things like party favors, invitations, activities, and gifts.
The Party Was A Success
Many people attended the party. All her friends and family came to celebrate with the couple. Everyone had arrived with gifts and blessings. Obviously, the shower was a huge success. Cynthia was very proud and happy that she did this thing for her best friend.
Baby showers are a relatively new concept. They first appeared in books in 1937; back then, they were known as "Stork Showers." Only close family and female friends of the mother were invited to the event.
Gifts For The Couple
The couple had now accumulated enough diapers, clothes, strollers, and gift cards worth hundreds of dollars. Kaycee's family and friends were very generous and obviously really sympathized with her. They wanted her to have the easiest time with this pregnancy.
When someone has lost a baby, as Kaycee had, the best way to deal with it is by being patient. The other important thing to remember is to listen and let them share their feelings as often as they wish to.
Everything Was Beautiful
Everything was working out perfectly. The couple had begun an exciting new journey in their life with the help of their friends and family. Amongst all the preparations a couple can make, talking to other people who are already parents is something that helps.
Luckily, Kaycee and Geoffrey had all this support and more from their families. This young couple was lucky enough to have a great support system around them. They were bringing the baby to a safe environment.
Kaycee Pulls A Disappearing Act
After the baby shower, Kaycee no longer went out of her house. She kept out of sight and stayed indoors. She informed her friends and family that the doctor had prescribed bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy, and even Cynthia couldn't visit her.
This was not suspicious at all; it is not uncommon for doctors to advise women to rest during pregnancy. Especially in Kaycee's case, her pregnancy was probably considered high risk, given that she had already lost her first.
Delivery Time
Finally, the day had arrived. Kaycee was rushed to the hospital. She was in labor, and soon, she was going to deliver her child. After waiting for a while, Kaycee gave birth to her son Easton Walt. Her baby was born on July 3 at 3:11 in the morning.
She immediately took to social media to announce the birth. There were still no red flags for friends and family. Everybody was happy and excited for Kaycee and her newborn.
A Beautiful Moment
It was a moment like no other for the happy couple. They finally had thei little boy. The couple was simply overjoyed after having their baby. But after five hours, something tragic happened that changed their life completely. Kaycee gave birth at Conemaugh Memorial Hospital in Johnstown.
Labor is full of complications, such as the slow progression of labor, which can lead to an emergency caesarian section. Sometimes, the water can break early, which means there are risks to the infant.
Unfortunate News
The joyful news was followed almost immediately by heartbreaking news. Only five hours after his birth, Easton Walt had sadly lost his life. Sudden infant death can be caused by a few reasons, for example, congenital disabilities, injuries, or birth complications.
This was tragic news for everybody involved. Losing a second baby was unimaginable for the couple after they had been so happy. Miscarriage induces serious emotional distress for both parents of the child as well as immediate family members.
Unimaginable Loss
It was very tragic news, not only for the couple but also for all those who were waiting for the arrival of this child. The trauma of a miscarriage is often underestimated. After a miscarriage, women often have many concerns.
For instance, some women may wonder if they will ever get pregnant again, or they may feel like it's their fault that they lost a baby. They may also experience grief, shock, and emptiness and may also feel a loss of control.
Not Fair
The couple told her family and friends that her baby had died from respiratory failure. When they are born, they are at a higher risk for respiratory failure. Especially if the infant hadn't reached full term, which is nine months.
Newborns also breathe faster than older children and adults. Their respiratory rate should however always fall at a specific range, or there might be risks. If you notice irregular breathing in your child, it's probably good to see a doctor.
Were They Attention Seekers?
People deal with grief differently. Some people may try to seek out others that care for them to help deal with the feeling of loss. Others might act out and use drugs and alcohol to help them deal with the immense pain.
However, talking to other people and expressing ourselves is a better way of coping. Also, taking the time to absorb the loss, avoiding making major life changes, and joining support groups are healthy ways of dealing with loss.
Did They Know?
The Langs were beginning to act strangely. They started playing on people's emotions for monetary gain, just like scammers. Scammers are aware of people's vulnerability, and they exploit this. They use emotions like empathy, curiosity, hope, pain, and fear to gain control.
Scamming is criminal behavior, but the fact that they were scamming family members and friends makes their actions even worse. Their family and friends were expecting them to grieve; instead, they did something that made even Kaycee's best friend, Cynthia, suspicious.
Raising Money
Hardly a day had passed by when Geoffrey and Kaycee came up with a GoFundMe account to raise donations. GoFundMe is an organization that helps people raise money for different life challenges, like illness or accidents.
According to their claims, the money acquired would be used for a personalized urn in which to keep his ashes. And would also cover the medical and funeral bills. This wasn't adding up, considering that they should have waited for people to offer help.
About Scammers
There are many different types of scammers, and they only have one goal in mind, and that is financial gain. Some of these criminals are very sophisticated and never get caught.
There are many types of scams, including investment scams, phishing, and pharming. Most scammers target unsuspecting victims online, in person, or even in public places. One of the ways to avoid getting scammed is to never click on strange links, whether sent via email or in text message form.
Cremation?
It is not typical for grieving parents to set up a page to raise donations for burial or, in this case, to buy an urn in which to place the ashes. Many people would opt for burial for sentimental reasons.
A grave would provide the couple with a place where they could visit Easton and remember him. For them to set up a fundraising site barely a day after their son's death, didn't make any sense to everybody who knew them.
An Obituary Was Posted On The Internet
Along with that, they also wrote a lengthy obituary on the internet. This was the ultimate pity-inducing ploy, and it worked perfectly for them. The obituary was quite lengthy and descriptive, detailing the last moments of little Easton's life.
The people who came across that post must have felt really bad for the infant and the parents. They wanted to help the grieving couple in their hard times. And therefore, many of them came forward to assist the couple financially.
The Classic Sympathy Scam
Sympathy scams occur more often than we may think. These scams come in all shapes and sizes, including disability scams or grandparent scams. These scammers are experts at tugging at your heartstrings to make sure you hand over your hard-earned cash.
For example, some scammers may target older people to separate them from their valuables. The scammer can pose as a grandchild in jail and say that they need bail money. Or they can pretend to be having car trouble.
People Responded Swiftly
This all happened very quickly. No one apart from the couple themselves could see the baby, even the grandparents and Kaycee's best friend. Everyone who came across the post was so moved that they donated to help the young couple.
The post reached the right target audience, and the couple raised a total of $550 in gifts and cash from well-wishers. Signing up for a GoFundMe is very easy, and all the money collected is kept by the page owners.
All Planned
The birth of baby Easton could not be celebrated, but the couple decided to celebrate his death. They organized a memorial service to pay tribute to their child. They sent an invitation to all their friends and family.
The guests had no idea till then that the little boy had already been cremated. Many people believed them except for a few who smelled a rat. There were many red flags, and some of their friends could tell something was wrong.
A Friend Knows
One of the people who did not buy their explanation was Kaycee's best friend, Cynthia Dilascio. Cynthia had had her suspicions the entire time, even during the baby shower. But she decided to stand by her best friend.
Kaycee had told everyone that the cause of death had been respiratory distress syndrome. This didn't seem right to Cynthia. She did not see why doctors would give her friend the infant, knowing he was at risk, and her instincts were right.
Cynthia Decides to Investigate
Cynthia had to get to the bottom of the whole incident, and that is why she went to the police a couple of weeks after baby Easton's memorial service. She shared her doubts about the whole pregnancy thing with the police.
According to her, the couple was lying about their pregnancy. Their story did not add up. Still, it was just a feeling, and she had no concrete evidence. However, her suspicions were enough to prompt investigations by the police.
Cue Investigation
Upon hearing Cynthia's tale, the police set the investigations rolling. They started by checking the offices of Somerset County Coroner and Cambria County Coroner with the hope of fetching details of baby Easton. Surprisingly, none of them had any records of Easton Lang.
Clearly, something was wrong. After finding no evidence of Easton Lang in both offices, police directed their investigation to Conemaugh Memorial OB/GYN and Conemaugh Memorial Hospital. However, no records of Easton Lang or Kaycee Lang were found.
Baby Easton Did Not Exist
After that, the officers went to the funeral home, where the couple had bought an urn to keep their baby's remains. But there were no records of the newborn. No one had seen the infant except for the couple.
On August 5, the police contacted the couple to ask them some questions. Geoffrey said he had not been with Kaycee when the infant was born. But he had learned that the child's condition was far from good and was concerned.
Their Explanation Fell Short
Kaycee insisted that the baby was diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome which is what had caused his untimely death. No matter how much the officers tried, they could not believe it.
However, the officers had to let them go as they did not have any solid evidence to press charges against the couple. Physical or solid evidence refers to any tangible item that can be used in a trial. To find this, police had to get a search warrant.
A Disturbing Discovery
While searching the house, they discovered something disturbing. They found a real-looking newborn baby doll. The dolls are very realistic dummies, that sometimes even have a heartbeat. These lifelike dolls have surprising benefits.
They can be therapeutic and are used by women who suffer from infertility issues or have suffered miscarriages. They had used this doll as their infant. No one would suspect it, as the dummy looked so lifelike. Along with the doll, the officers also found an urn.
Charges Made Against The Couple
The couple's criminal act took everyone by surprise. They had lied to their own friends and family for money. The police arrested the couple immediately and charged them with theft by deception and fraud.
Their hearing was set for October 2020. While the scammers had been busted, the people who had donated a significant amount of money to the couple felt betrayed. Many people had trusted them and had contributed to what they thought was a couple in genuine distress.
Does GoFundMe Protect Donors Against Scammers?
The GoFundMe platform aims to empower people to help people. While a majority of the fundraisers are legitimate, some scammers sometimes seep through. They have a strict policy that fundraisers are not permitted to lie for personal gain.
To spot scammers on the platform, try reverse searching the images used on the posts. If the pictures are readily available on the internet, you could be dealing with scammers. Also, it's best to ensure you know the people you donate to.
Donors Are Safe
Fortunately, the donors did not lose their money. GoFundMe's comprehensive refund policy protects donors in case someone misuses its platform. Luckily, the true character of the couple came to light in time, thanks to Cynthia.
The platform's spokesperson had to issue a statement saying that they do not tolerate fraudsters. They ensured everybody that they would fully cooperate with law enforcement officials during the investigation. He also stated that everyone who donated would get a full refund of their donation.
The Family Is Still In Shock
Cynthia reflected on the incident, stating that she was excited for the couple because they had previously lost a baby. What they did shocked her and left her genuinely disturbed. It was unfathomable to her that her best friend had scammed her.
She recalled when she asked to see the doctor's results on the infant's gender. They were in an envelope, but when she opened it, there was only a blue piece of paper. This constituted the first time she had been suspicious.
Doubts Resurfaced
But her doubts began to resurface when she heard that the baby had lost his life. If he had respiratory problems, then how did the doctors let the couple take him home? It didn't make any sense.
Thinking back, she realized she should have asked more questions then. Kaycee had also told her that the child's lungs were filled with fluid, and the doctors did nothing. This all sounded fake, and that was when she decided to go to the police.
A Very Sick Idea
Cynthia tried to make sense of the situation by looking back at the events. She tried to understand her friend's reasoning. Kaycee and Geoffrey had planned this all along. Everything had been premeditated. They knew they would get away with it.
This was a very sick idea. Considering that they had played on their friends and emotions for monetary gain. It was a criminal act. Cynthia tried to think of why they could have done this, but she didn't have the answers.
The Trial
According to the Daily American, the trial was held on June 2 and Kaycee and Geoffrey were both charged with theft by deception. After pleading guilty to the theft charges, Kaycee was sentenced to two years probation by the judge.
Geoffrey Lang also pleaded guilty to two theft charges. He told the police that he wasn't present at the hospital when his wife gave birth, but evidence showed that he was well aware of the scam and was not innocent.