Mexico is currently in the midst of a crisis, a 7,1 force earthquake ripping through the country’s central region and causing a death toll approaching 300.

That number will sadly rise as rescuers sift through the rubble, but one name that won’t be added to the list is that of 12-year-old Frida Sofia.

How do we know? Because the girl doesn’t exist, despite the fact that the country spent more than a day and a half praying for her rescue from the crumbling remains of Rebsamen elementary school.

The Daily Beast below:

Frida Sofia reportedly knew of other children trapped in the rubble—anywhere from two to five. Frida Sofia reportedly moved her tiny hand. Frida Sofia reportedly said she was tired, though someone had given her liquids. Frida Sofia had allegedly been heard through a microphone fed through the rubble. She had reportedly waved her tiny hand.

“She moved her hand and moved Mexico’s heart,” people across the country tweeted, using the hashtag #FridaSofia.

But there was never a 12-year-old girl trapped in the rubble, alive, at this elementary school—much less alongside other tiny bodies clinging to life. Frida Sofia never existed, authorities confirmed Thursday afternoon.

…the country is now outraged. The myth of Frida Sofia has died, as hundreds of people have across the region.

Though thermal sensors had detected a living being underneath the rubble, the media ran with wild speculation and comments made by rescue workers, that included reports that the young girl was moments from being rescued alive shortly past midnight on Wednesday.

That wild speculation spiralled out of control, and Frida became a symbol of hope for the country. Thousands sat glued to their screens watching live footage of the rescue efforts, and the drama was edge of your seat stuff:

As Televisa claimed the girl was just moments from being rescued, an alarm sounded—a minor earthquake in the southern state of Oaxaca caused the building to be evacuated and rescue efforts briefly halted.Then, moments later, as the rescue effort slowly resumed, portions of the demolished school began to collapse, sending plumes of dust into the air. Spectators watched in horror from the scene, and from their homes, and on streets across the country…

Televisa has a sticky history of manufacturing events and misinformation for a combination of ratings and the the sake of benefitting Mexico’s political class. Televisa and Frida Sofia are now the number one and two trends in Mexico as citizens express their absolute loathing of the company and explain how they feel cheated and manipulated for the sake of ratings.

It was on Thursday afternoon, close to 36 hours after Frida’s rescue drama began, that her non-existence was confirmed. Folks were outraged that they had been duped, and much finger pointing unfolded as people searched for the source of the misinformation.

Perhaps this is the most important bit to remember, though:

…the rescue attempts, however misguided, have not been in vain. Eleven children have been rescued from the site, 19 children lost their lives, and 6 adults also died—the latest added to the tally was a woman’s corpse, pulled from the destruction early Thursday morning.

Televisa’s name still is, and will continue to be, dragged through the mud, and Mexicans seem united in their belief that the network intentionally misguided its viewers for the sake of higher ratings.

Given what lies ahead and the rescue and rebuilding efforts, that might be the least of their problems.

[source:dailybeast]