Australia
Mann is suing TV stations for falsely portraying him as a child kidnapper
Cleo Smith (r) and her mother Ellie. A man in Australia is suing a television station that falsely published his photos, calling him the alleged kidnapper of the girl.
© Richard Wainwright / AAP / DPA
The case went around the world: A man kidnapped four-year-old Cleo Smith from a tent. However, a major television station had broadcast pictures of the wrong man and labeled him a suspect. This wants to sue the transmitter now.
The kidnapping of four-year-old Cleo Smith in Australia held the nation in suspense – and made headlines around the world. The girl was kidnapped from a tent on a camping trip. The search for her lasted 18 days until the police found her alone in a house in the west of the country on November 3rd.
Investigators then charged a man named Terence Kelly with her kidnapping.
Shortly after the arrest, the Australian television station “Seven” broadcast pictures of the alleged kidnapper. Images of the man have also been used in online articles. Social media posts were headed, “IN THE PICTURE: The Man Accused of Kidnapping Cleo Smith”.
Sender uses Facebook pictures without being asked and apologizes
But there was one big problem: the man in the photos wasn’t the kidnapper at all. It was the pictures of Terrance Flowers that were spread across the country. How did this error come about?
After Cleo was found, “Seven” showed four photos of his Facebook profile without Flowers’ consent – where he used his mother’s maiden name, Kelly, like the British broadcaster BBC reported. The first name is also spelled differently. The photos that Seven used were the first to reach the public of the alleged kidnapper. “He had nothing to do with it and was never a suspect in the case,” said his lawyers.
The broadcaster was made aware of his mistake on the day of publication, whereupon the photos were “removed immediately”. Published the following day Seven an apology:
“On November 3rd, Seven used Facebook photos of Mr. Terrance Kelly, also known as Terrance Flowers, (…) in a report about the arrest of another man with a similar name in connection with the kidnapping of Cleo Smith. We made a mistake .
Mr. Kelly, himself a new father, was in no way affiliated with Cleo’s abduction and his Facebook photos should not have been used. Seven apologizes wholeheartedly to Mr. Kelly and his family for the suffering this has caused. “
True crime: ten true crime stories that you just can’t put aside
10 images
Flowers suffers from the false allegations
But this excuse is not enough for Terrance Flowers. He is now suing the broadcaster. His lawyers said Seven had seriously injured him and his reputation by misrepresenting him as the prime suspect, the BBC reported. The publication caused him and his family considerable suffering. The effects of this mistake were devastating.
“The Seven Network publications have resulted in Mr. Flowers being made an object of hate across the nation and around the world, resulting in him being hospitalized with a severe panic attack,” his lawyers said.
Shortly after the devastating mistake, the 27-year-old spoke “Ngaarda Media” about his experience. “My sister called me and said they used my photo on the person who kidnapped the girl.” When he saw his photo on social media, he went to the local police station for help.
Cleo Smith case: lawyers want justice for Flowers
He later saw his photos on the Internet again. “We saw it on Channel 7 and the Sunrise page. I got upset and went back to the police station,” he said. “In the end, I got even angrier and had a panic attack in the police station.” Flowers then had to be treated in a hospital. The media should have done their job right, Flowers said. “That is not acceptable.”
The newspaper “Brisbane Times” reported that Flowers received threats for the wrong photos. Flowers said he was afraid of leaving his house alone as he was approached by people on the street who mistook him for the accused and asked what he was going to do with Cleo and if he was going to kill her. “I was very afraid for my life.”
“When I leave the house, I have the thought in the back of my mind that someone will stop me and threaten or even attack me,” said the 27-year-old.
Flowers wants Seven to become more professional in the future. Because the insufficient research would have an impact on him and his small family. His lawyers want their client to be fair and ask the public to respect the privacy of him and his families.
Sources: BBC, Seven, “Ngaarda Media”, “Brisbane Times”,“The Guardian”