Kevin Archer

Fraud

According to a hoax e-mail circulated widely online, Kevin Archer was a Houston, Texas 3-year-old who died after using the play area of a McDonald's fast food restaurant. According to the e-mail, Archer was injected with a heroin-filled needle hidden in the restaurant's ball pit; the letter further states that the story was reported in the Houston Chronicle on 10 October 1994. The story is not true and the 'Kevin Archer' involved is not a real person. To quote the Chronicle's website: "The 'Kevin Archer' e-mail being circulated these days is a hoax. There is nothing to be found in the archives. No such article appeared in this or any other newspaper on Oct. 10, 1994, or any other date as no such or similar incident ever has occurred here or been reported by any news service or in any medical or legal records."

Extra credit: Some versions of the letter have the incident taking place in Midland, Texas -- hometown of First Lady Laura Bush.

Kevin Archer appears with Kurt Vonnegut and the Tourist Guy in our loop on Legends of E-Mail.