Murdered Boy Christopher Barrios’ Picture Makes An Unwanted Appearance in General Hospital Soap Episode
30 October 2008, 5:35 PM. By Cindy Casares
The family picture of six year old Christopher Barrios Jr., who was raped and murdered in 2007 in Brunswick, GA, mysteriously appeared in a soap opera episode of “General Hospital: Night Shift” in the SoapNet channel. The picture was brought to the attention of the local television station WJXT by a fan of the soap opera who said she recognized Christopher’s picture being used in the show. WJXT and its high-strung reporter Jennifer Bauer, armed with a laptop and a camera crew, took the picture to Christopher’s grandmother Sue Rodriguez to get capture her reaction.
“Oh my, God have mercy,” Rodriquez said after seeing Christopher’s picture on the show. “They have no right doing that — not a bit of right.”
She cried as she watched a clip from the soap opera. She said it still hurts to think about her grandson, who was kidnapped, raped and murdered in March 2007.
“That baby meant the world to us, and people don’t have the right to do this kind of stuff. That’s our baby,” Rodriquez said.
In the alleged episode, actor Billy Dee William portrays a “night shift” doctor who has received a letter and picture of the son he has left behind. You guessed it, the picture is that of Christopher Barrios Jr.
Upon being pinched and elbowed on the gut by the reporter to say something else, the grandmother in mourning added:
“First, who gave them permission to use his picture? Second, I’m glad I don’t watch this kind of mess — soap operas — because if I had seen Christopher’s picture on there, I would have gone nuts,” Rodriquez said.
When WJXT contacted ABC, which produces the “General Hospital: Night Shift” said it was unsure about how the incident occurred but would launch an investigation to get to the bottom of this. As an apology to the family and in honor of Christopher Barrios Jr. ABC will be running a series of Public Service Announcements to raise awareness about missing and exploited children.
Soap Opera Apologizes For Murdered Boy Photo [Fox Reno]
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wow, that’s really sad. that someone watches _General Hospital: Night Shift_. that other part sucks, too.
So why are YOU using the photo? You’re committing the same unethical use as the soap opera. You used it as a “prop” for your article, right? The difference is that while the soap opera used the photo unintentionally, you did so on purpose, with forethought. You are not the only one, I know. Almost every news media website and blog which is covering this story is also using the photo. Doesn’t anyone think this is unethical? They all pretend to take the high road, ferreting-out the unethical, evil-doers. But in so doing, they’re taking the same, crowded low road as everyone else. Most people understand why the little boy’s grandmother asked folks not to use that photo, which the family gave the media when 6-year-old Christopher was kidnapped a year ago. Let’s think about this and discuss it among ourselves. I’ve written a post on it too at:
Sharon McEachern
hey, sharon: they’re not exploiting anything, they’re reporting it. there’s a difference. just like your ass is exploiting the alleged exploitation on your website. isn’t that kind of an ironic use of ethics?
No (ethic) Soup for YOU!!
That’s just bizarre…
hey, sharon: they’re not exploiting anything, they’re reporting it. there’s a difference. just like your ass is exploiting the alleged exploitation on your website. isn’t that kind of an ironic use of ethics?
No (ethic) Soup for YOU!!
Some intern is going to be fired and some grieving family is going to receive quite the payout over this unfortunate mishap
My sincere apologies to the family that was hurt by this mistake, but I am sure not a day goes by that they don’t think of Christopher and wish there was more that could be done to prevent it from happening again. And now, apparently something is being done to help-the public service announcements.
The sickest part is all of you who are making a big deal of it-including the media. I watched the show by chance and thought it was used during a sad, moving moment during the show…for a sad, moving moment in life, it almost seems fitting. There was no malice intent and no one would have thought anything of the picture except how sad for his family. I since saw the public service announcements and took the time to find out who Christopher Barrios was on the internet because of them. I am MUCH MORE mortified by what these sites and the media are doing (to conjure up ratings?) at the family’s expense.
THIS CHILD HAS BEEN MURDERED, RAPED, BROKEN. WHEN ARE ALL OF YOU GOING TO LET THIS CHILD REST IN PEACE.
WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO LEAVE THE FAMILY ALONE..LETS PUT THE SHOE ON THE OTHER FOOT “BILLY HIGH AND MIGHTY
WILLIAMS” . YOU NEED TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU PORTRAY SOMEONE. YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF. YOU DON’T KNOW THESE PEOPLE, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH. WHAT IF HAD BEEN
YOUR CHILD…YOU ARE ALL PIGS, GO WALLOW IN YOUR “RICH” SLOP……DID YOU COME AND HELP LOOK FOR HIM..I DID AND CRIED THE WHOLE TIME