Viral claim of hypothermia deaths in Avery County ‘debunked in all capital letters’
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Hurricane Helene Aftermath
Hurricane Helene swept across the Southeast, causing major flooding and destruction throughout North Carolina. Here is ongoing coverage from The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer about Hurricane Helene and the aftermath, particularly in Western North Carolina.
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A viral claim that 15 people died of hypothermia in Avery County this week is “categorically false,” Alicia Stemper, an acting spokeswoman for the county’s emergency operations, told The News & Observer.
“Mark it debunked in all capital letters, please,” Stemper said.
Dr. Mollie James posted the claim Tuesday morning on the social media platform X. James joined other medical personnel at a grassroots disaster relief center set up at the Avery County Airport and posted that 15 people, including children, had died overnight from hypothermia.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the post had been seen more than 900,000 times, had been reposted more than 5,400 times and had been liked more than 8,300 times.
James is licensed in Iowa and Missouri as an osteopathic physician and surgeon. She has hosted a pair of podcasts, with episode titles that address free speech in medicine and that discuss legal strategies against vaccine mandates.
Avery County Sheriff’s Office deputies have an active investigation into James and into her intent behind spreading the false rumor, Stemper said.
She said they needed to visit the field hospital to investigate the claim of 15 deaths after seeing the social media post.
“You can’t hear information like that and dismiss it. You have to go check it out,” Stemper said.
And that means the deputies and investigators can’t be taking on other tasks that are needed in the storm-impacted county, she said.
As of Wednesday, there were four deaths and three people reported missing in Avery County. Those numbers have held steady for several days, Stemper said.
Stemper also described fears that the false claim and others like it could lead people who are already having a tough time after living through Tropical Storm Helene to enter a state of despair.
“If you’re hanging on to the edge and you hear 15 more people from your county died, that might be the last thing it takes for you to give up all hope,” Stemper said. “It’s just so painful, unnecessary, hurtful and obstructive.”
NC Reality Check is investigating rumors having to do with Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene and its aftermath in Western North Carolina. If you have heard a rumor that you would like us to check out, email realitycheck@newsobserver.com
This story was produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and Green South Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work. If you would like to help support local journalism, please consider signing up for a digital subscription, which you can do here.
This story was originally published October 16, 2024 at 6:21 PM with the headline "Viral claim of hypothermia deaths in Avery County ‘debunked in all capital letters’."
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