Las Vegas Woman Who Got $230K In Donations to Prevent Eviction Now Loses Thousands In Refunds After It Was Revealed She Wasn’t The Children’s Mother

A Las Vegas woman received $230,000 in GoFundMe donations after she claim she had “three daughters” and were facing an eviction crisis has now lost more than $60,000 of those donations. Refund request come after it was reported that the three children were not actually her daughters.

32-year-old Dasha Kelly went on social media earlier this month to said she was facing the threat of eviction, less than 24 hours later the GoFundMe raised $170,000 to support Kelly and her three children. In the end, more than $230,000 was raised through the page.

“My daughter’s are aged 5, 6, and 8. Please help with anything you can,” Kelly wrote on the page.

Kelly was facing eviction as the pandemic-era moratorium temporarily expired, told CNN she was thankful for the donations she’s received.

“I just want to tell everybody thank you so much,” Kelly said tearfully. “I’m still in denial.”

However, it was later revealed that the three children Kelly referred to as her daughters, Sharron, 8; Kia, 6; and Imani, 5, are not her biological children, but her boyfriends’ children. This was revealed after the biological mother came forward. Shadia Hilo reached out to CNN with birth certificates proving she was the girls’ mother. After this came to light, GoFundMe temporarily froze the online fundraiser.

In an update posted on Aug. 9, Kelly clarified her relationship with the children.

“I’ve been contacted with some concerns around my relationship to the girls mentioned on my fundraiser, and I’d like to clarify a couple things. The girls recognize me as a mother figure in their lives, but I am not their biological mother. My partner is the children’s father whom I do not live with, and I take care of these girls in my home for periods of time, and have for the last couple years.”

Kelly said she loves and treats the girls as if they are her own children. “I’ve loved these girls unconditionally, and have been out of the kindness of my heart. I treat them as my daughters, and care for them in this way,” she wrote.

CNN verified that Kelly does care for the children at her home for periods of time.

Kelly reiterated her need for the funds and said she would also be putting money aside for the girls in savings accounts. However, those who wished to refund their donation have been given the opportunity to request a refund from GoFundMe until Aug. 23.

As of now, over $67,000 in donations has been refunded, although donations continue to come in.

Some who donated recently offered Kelly words of the support. “I commend you for staying active with these girls even though you and their Dad do not live together,” wrote one person who donated.

“It’s really humble of you to help that mother,” said another user who added that they were “paying it forward.”

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