(NewsCore) - SAN FRANCISCO -- A mom who made international headlines when she claimed to have injected her eight-year-old daughter with Botox now maintains she made the whole story up in return for cash, TMZ reported Thursday.
Kerry Campbell, 34, sparked uproar when she told media outlets how she used the cosmetic procedure to help her daughter Britney compete in beauty pageants.
But the mom, who now says her real name is Sheena Upton, has told TMZ she never injected her daughter with Botox and was simply paid to say so.
Her sudden about-turn comes after Child Protective Services in San Francisco, where British-born Upton now lives, launched an investigation and removed the child from her custody.
Upton said she was encouraged by British newspaper The Sun to go along with the story in exchange for the equivalent of $200.
The Sun refuted Upton's claims, however, insisting the story came from a reputable news agency and that the newspaper never had any direct contact with her.
"The Sun strongly denies any suggestion it solicited or knowingly published a false story regarding Kerry Campbell and her daughter," said a spokeswoman.
"The article was published in good faith, in common with a large number of other news organizations around the world, after being received in full from a reputable UK news agency."
Upton also said she was promised large fees for interviews on ABC's "Good Morning America" and CBS' "Inside Edition."
Posing as Campbell in May, Upton appeared with her daughter on the ABC morning show. "It hurts and I get used to it," the young daughter said. "It looks way better, like beautiful, pretty."
"It's safe, I have no problem with doing it ... I'm a great mother," her mom added.
Following the intervention of Child Protective Services, Upton released a sworn statement Thursday saying the story was completely false.
"I was provided with the story, instructions and a script to follow for a recorded interview for [a] paid fee. I received $200 for that story."
A spokesman for ABC News said they were "vigorously investigating" Upton's claims.
"'Good Morning America' has repeatedly questioned Upton, members of her family, and other sources who again and again stood by the Botox story," the company added in a statement.
The Sun is owned by News Corp., the parent company of NewsCore.
Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpps/news/botox-mom-says-she-made-up-story-for-cash-dpgonc-km-20110519_13283252#ixzz1MrpLtpDK
Kerry Campbell, 34, sparked uproar when she told media outlets how she used the cosmetic procedure to help her daughter Britney compete in beauty pageants.
But the mom, who now says her real name is Sheena Upton, has told TMZ she never injected her daughter with Botox and was simply paid to say so.
Her sudden about-turn comes after Child Protective Services in San Francisco, where British-born Upton now lives, launched an investigation and removed the child from her custody.
Upton said she was encouraged by British newspaper The Sun to go along with the story in exchange for the equivalent of $200.
The Sun refuted Upton's claims, however, insisting the story came from a reputable news agency and that the newspaper never had any direct contact with her.
"The Sun strongly denies any suggestion it solicited or knowingly published a false story regarding Kerry Campbell and her daughter," said a spokeswoman.
"The article was published in good faith, in common with a large number of other news organizations around the world, after being received in full from a reputable UK news agency."
Upton also said she was promised large fees for interviews on ABC's "Good Morning America" and CBS' "Inside Edition."
Posing as Campbell in May, Upton appeared with her daughter on the ABC morning show. "It hurts and I get used to it," the young daughter said. "It looks way better, like beautiful, pretty."
"It's safe, I have no problem with doing it ... I'm a great mother," her mom added.
Following the intervention of Child Protective Services, Upton released a sworn statement Thursday saying the story was completely false.
"I was provided with the story, instructions and a script to follow for a recorded interview for [a] paid fee. I received $200 for that story."
A spokesman for ABC News said they were "vigorously investigating" Upton's claims.
"'Good Morning America' has repeatedly questioned Upton, members of her family, and other sources who again and again stood by the Botox story," the company added in a statement.
The Sun is owned by News Corp., the parent company of NewsCore.
Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpps/news/botox-mom-says-she-made-up-story-for-cash-dpgonc-km-20110519_13283252#ixzz1MrpLtpDK
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpps/news/botox-mom-says-she-made-up-story-for-cash-dpgonc-km-20110519_13283252
