Mum's anger as photos of disabled son are stolen by sick trolls and used to get 'likes' on Facebook
Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
A mum has hit out after vile Facebook trolls stole a picture of her disabled son and made cruel online jokes.
Colette Flanagan’s son, Daire, seven, was born with Apert syndrome, a severe condition affecting the shape of his face and head that has nearly killed him on several occasions.
Sick trolls have attempted to prey on the public's good nature by stealing photos of Daire and using them to generate a large following.
Colette, 38, described the practice as "very upsetting".
One Facebook post with a picture of Daire said: “Today is his first day at school and he was told that no-one would give him a ‘like’ because of his illness.”
(Photo: Barcroft Media)
(Photo: Barcroft Media)
Followers are then urged to write "amen" under the post in a bid to trick unwitting members of the public into believing the lie.
Colette, 38, told Belfast Live : “It makes me really angry to be honest. I’m his mother - I’m supposed to protect him.
“These are horrible, ignorant people and it has really upset me.
“I would not have been held responsible for my actions if they had been there in front of me.”
Brave Daire has undergone dozens of operations to improve his quality of life.
(Photo: Barcroft Media)
(Photo: Barcroft Media)
He loves time with Colette, his sisters Clodagh and Alanagh and dad Barry.
Colette said that she has informed the police, Facebook and the NSPCC of the issue.
She said that attempts from her and family members to get the trolls to delete the posts were futile.
She went on: “I’ve seen a lot of these things on Facebook with regards to these ‘like’ and ‘amen’ posts.
(Photo: Belfast Live)
“These are all of real people. Hopefully there is something that can be done. I didn’t put it out there for this kind of thing.
“People are interested in Daire because of what he has been through and how he has progressed.
“He has nearly lost his life a few times and this is just sickening.”