Kobe Bryant's Eldest Daughter Natalia Becomes Victim of Death Hoax

Gettyimages | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin

DISCLAIMER: While this itself is not a false news report, the following details the contents of two different false news reports.

Yes, fake news abounds even amidst tragic circumstances. The latest of celebrity-related death hoaxes sadly fell on Natalia Bryant, the 17-year-old daughter of the Kobe Bryant and his now widow, Vanessa Bryant. A hoaxster from an unknown location has nonsensically created a misleading video (from an equally misleading webpage) stating that the couple's oldest daughter had died. Their post came just weeks after a similar claim was made about Vanessa.

Gettyimages | Jon Kopaloff

The fraudulent, heartless headline is (somehow) still online and reads as follows:

"BREAKING NEWS: KOBE BRYANT's ELDEST DAUGHTER 'NATALIA BRYANT' left a 'Suicide VIDEO' of Herself 'COMMITTING SUICIDE' After BEING BULLIED..."

It further makes illegal use of the British Broadcasting Company's Logo, which then links to a shoddily edited video - one that should clearly be noted as clickbait. As Snopes says, "Natalia Bryant did not die by suicide in February 2020. This is just another death hoax aimed at exploiting a tragedy."

Gettyimages | Lisa Blumenfeld

Reports of "Vanessa's death" used similar tactics. Besides the video's blatant and illicit use of the BBC's logo, the clip cuts off and prompts the viewer to share it to their Facebook page using certain hashtags. Snopes says that "this is not a typical practice of the BBC, but it is common among online hoaxes."

Snopes also confirms that "this was not a genuine news report. It was a hoax designed to capitalize on the recent deaths of the NBA star and the couple’s teenage daughter, Gianna."

Wikimedia | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kobe_Bryant_Washington_Full_Retouched.jpg

Kobe Bryant, a 41-year-old basketball star from the NBA, devastatingly died during a helicopter accident on January 26th. His private aircraft crashed into a mountainside in California, Calabasas - and while largely unconfirmed, the crash has largely been attributed to the heavy fog that took over the area that morning. The tragedy took the life of eight other people: Ara Zobayan, Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, John, Kerri, and Alyssa Altobelli, as well as Bryant's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Bryant.

Wikimedia | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kobe_Bryant_(49448357166).jpg

Each victim has reportedly been laid to rest in various, private funeral services. A public memorial for Kobe and Gianna Bryant is set for this upcoming Monday, January 24th at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, beginning at 10am PST. Local affiliate ABC7 will begin live streaming their coverage at 9am. According to a report by the news station on Friday, February 21st, "the memorial will not be shown on TV screens at L.A. Live or near STAPLES Center, so officials are asking that fans do not congregate outside the service." This sentiment was furthered by a same-day article from the Los Angeles Times.