Tornado survivor takes down GoFundMe after police probe
LONDON, Ky. (WKYT/Gray News) - A tornado survivor in Kentucky who claimed a job loss was another setback in a series of losses is no longer asking for money after police launched an investigation.
Earlier this month, Sierra Barnes said her mother-in-law died. On the way home from Lexington, she learned a tornado was about to hit her hometown of London, Kentucky.
“It was like a voice spoke to me, ‘Turn around.’ It was probably the best thing we could have done,” she said.
When Barnes made it home, she said she found her home heavily damaged, possibly to be ruled a total loss.
“I built my whole life there. I raised my daughter there,” she said.
She then made a Facebook post and started a GoFundMe claiming her boyfriend was also losing his job.
According to her GoFundMe, Barnes said her boyfriend had been working 12-hour days since the tornado and “now they have laid off him and seven other men as well.”
Barnes told local news her boyfriend was in a group that was told their jobs were in jeopardy.
“Was having a meeting with them about what was going to happen. They said, ‘This is the group they are planning on laying off and it’s coming,’” she said.
WKYT reached out to the London mayor, the city’s public works director and someone in human resources for the city of London. Everyone said there have been no terminations in the past week, no one has lost their jobs and there has been no talk of firing or laying anyone off.
London Police also said they opened an investigation and said Barnes told them the GoFundMe has since been taken down, and she is no longer asking for money.
London city officials say they aren’t firing anyone and, in fact, are looking to hire additional people.
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