A six-year-old girl who won four tickets to a Hannah Montana concert with an essay claiming her father died in Iraq won't be going to the show after all. For the youngster lied in the essay - her dad did not die in Iraq and the lie was only discovered when her mother admitted they made it all up to win the coveted tickets.
The contest's sponsor, a store chain named Club Libby Lu, took back the tickets and awarded them to another contestant
"With this decision, we hope to revive the intended spirit of the contest, which was designed to make a little girl's holidays extra special," Club Libby Lu chief executive Mary Drolet.
The young girl initially won a makeover that included a blonde Hannah Montana wig, as well as the grand prize: airfare for four to Albany, New York and four tickets to the sold-out Hannah Montana concert.
The opening line in the essay which was submitted just before Christmas was: "My daddy died this year in Iraq."
The girl's mother had told Club Libby Lu officials that the girl's father died April 17 2007 in a roadside bombing in Iraq, company spokeswoman Robyn Caulfield said.
But the mother, Priscilla Ceballos, later admitted that the essay and the military information she provided about her daughter's father were untrue.
"We did the essay and that's what we did to win. We did whatever we could do to win," Ceballos said.
"But when Robyn Caulfield asked me if this essay is true, I said: 'No, this essay is not true'."
Ceballos later apologized on US national TV, reading a statement on NBC's Today show.
She said: "I hadn't intended to mislead the contest sponsor but got caught up in helping my daughter'realize her dream of seeing Hannah Montana.
"Instead I brought so much negative attention to my family. Please accept my heartfelt apology and please do not punish my child for my mistake."
Ceballos then apologized specifically to the military and military families for falsely claiming the girl's father died in a roadside bombing in Iraq.
She added: "I just wanted to help my daughter write a compelling story. There is no more compelling story than the struggle and sacrifices of our military and their families.
"I meant no disrespect. I just made a bad decision which I sincerely regret.'"
By Owen Williams, Jan 28 2008 © Copyright 2008 - Showbiz Spy
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