Kijiji ad seeking baby supplies generates support, skepticism

CTV Atlantic: Kjiji ad generates skepticism An ad on Kijiji is generating both support and skepticism for a young mother. About 64,000 people have seen the ad asking for baby food.

An ad on Kijiji is generating both support and skepticism for a young mother. More than 65,000 people have seen the ad, asking for donations of baby supplies for the mother whose daughter was airlifted to the IWK Health Centre during the lockdown in Moncton.

“She was born with gastroschisis,” explains mother Natalya Beatty. “It’s a rare bowel disease where the bowels form on the outside of the baby’s stomach and it takes surgery to put them back in.”

Beatty says the surgery was performed on her newborn daughter Rylee Rose, but the pair is back living at the IWK Health Centre again.

“Right now they’re trying to find out what’s going to work for her feeding wise,” says Beatty. “She’s having an issue with weight gain and tolerating feeds.”

Beatty says she left Moncton in a cab on June 5 – the day after three RCMP officers were shot and killed – while her daughter was airlifted to the IWK. She says she had no time to pack baby supplies.

“Here I am waiting for my daughter to be airlifted and then worrying about my other daughter being in that lockdown area.”

Beatty says it is difficult being away from her family and she hopes they will be able to head back home to Moncton soon, but says she needs a car seat in which to carry Rylee.

A family member tried to help by posting an ad on Kijiji, asking for a baby seat and other donations.

The ad has been viewed more than 65,000 times in just 48 hours and hundreds of emails have flooded Beatty’s account.

“There’s been good and bad. I’ve had a few people contact me on Facebook, making accusations that it’s some sort of a scam,” says Beatty.

She says she was surprised to learn a family member had posted the ad and is overwhelmed at the amount of support she has received. She hopes other families will receive similar help.

“I’ve had so many emails for car seats and things,” says Beatty. “I won’t need all those car seats, so I’m trying to direct people to find someone who will at the IWK, parents in the same kind of situation.”

Beatty says it has been a tough month for her and her daughter and she hopes they will be reunited with their family in Moncton soon.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Matt Woodman