Mother apologizes for daughter’s fake Hannah Montana essay
A Texas mother admits she helped her daughter win tickets in a contest by writing an essay falsely claiming the girl’s father had died in a roadside bombing in Iraq.
Priscilla Ceballos apologized Friday by reading a statement on NBC’s Today Show.
She said she just got caught up in trying to help her daughter “realize her dream of seeing Hannah Montana.
“Instead I brought so much negative attention to my family,” she said. “Please accept my heartfelt apology and please do not punish my child for my mistake.”
Ceballos also apologized to the military and military families.
“I just wanted to help my daughter write a compelling story,” she said. “There is no more compelling story than the struggle and sacrifices of our military and their families.”
The essay — which featured the opening line, “My daddy died this year in Iraq” — won the grand prize in a contest, sponsored by Chicago-based chain Club Libby Lu.
The prize included airfare for four to Albany, New York, and four tickets to a sold-out Hannah Montana concert there, as well as a makeover that included a blonde Hannah Montana wig.
After Ceballos admitted to store officials that the essay information was untrue, the prize was awarded to another unnamed contestant.
January 5th, 2008 at 6:38 am
This story infuriates me…all considering my son is a soldier in the US Army.
January 5th, 2008 at 9:43 am
My husband was in the Army and this woman disgusts me. How dare she use the “supposed” death of her daughters father to win a Hannah Monatanna concert! She needs to see the heart break of when someone does lose a loved one due to deployment, she needs to attend a military funeral. My husband says she sould be made to load flag draped coffins onto C130s for their final journey home. If you read this lady, you sould be ashamed of yourself, you are DISGUSTING!
January 5th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Military aside, I think it is very sad that this mother thought it okay to help her daughter cheat to win something. I am very glad that the truth came out and that the daughter has learned that parents make mistakes and that it it not okay to cheat, eventually the truth comes out.
January 5th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
This is pretty disturbing. It’s like the mom who tried to kill her daughter’s cheerleading competitor. Will these people go to any lengths to “win”?? What is this teaching her child? Not to mention the disrespect to the military people. She really should get more than a slap on the wrist.