Police Notify Georgia Mom of Her Son’s Death Through Facebook
Anna Lamb-Creasey had no idea what happened to her son, Ricky Lamb, who had been missing since January 25th. She contacted 
hospitals and police departments, all to no avail, or at least that’s what she thought.
The grieving mother says Clayton County police in Georgia used a feature which she wasn’t aware of to inform her of her son’s death. They sent her a message, but since the police department isn’t her friend on Facebook, the message went to her “Other” inbox. She says she didn’t check that “Other” inbox for weeks, so she missed a message asking her to call Clayton County police.
Anna Lamb-Creasey says the matter was further complicated because the name attached to the Facebook account was Misty Hancock. Lamb-Creasey says the message looked like spam, especially since Atlanta rapper T.I. was the user’s profile picture. Her daughter received the message as well.
“I’m like, OK. I’m thinking it’s just fake,” she said.
Lamb-Creasey says she had no idea her son had died when a driver hit him as he crossed Tara Boulevard and Old Dixie road Jan. 24 around 11 p.m. The driver was not ticketed or charged with a crime.
Finally, on Valentine’s Day, approximately 20 days after Lamb went missing, Lamb-Creasey’s daughter called the number on the Misty Hancock page and an officer gave her the sad news.
Lamb-Creasey is livid because she says the police should’ve used conventional methods of notifying next of kin to inform her of her son’s death.
“They told me that they did the best that they can do. But I’m not sure about that. (Because) if they can track a criminal down, they couldn’t track me down? They could have done better,” she said, in tears. “I’ve been on my job 13 years. They could have found me.”
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24 Responses to Police Notify Georgia Mom of Her Son’s Death Through Facebook
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The Police acted very Tacky
H.Barrett
February 21, 2013 at 2:25 pm
That was tacky of the police why didn’t they just go to her home. They would do it any other time. Very different i would be very very mad at the department.
twana
February 21, 2013 at 3:30 pm
The headline is so misleading. The mother was not notified of the death on Facebook. As stated in the story, the daughter called the police depart, wherein she was given the news of the death.
HACK JOURNALISM!!
David JB
February 21, 2013 at 4:21 pm
Yes 20 days later! That is so irrelevant considering what this story is about! Facebook shouldn’t even be an option when trying to notify someone of a loved ones death!
Kellie
February 21, 2013 at 6:26 pm
Cut backs! They have consequences!
The next time a increase is placed on the ballot to improve public services, vote for it!
The service will be getting worse if nothing is done!
Besides, aren’t we all on facebook!
Onesilverbac
February 21, 2013 at 4:23 pm
1. I worked for a collection agency before and finding people’s past addresses, work history, NEIGHBOR’S names, etc. is quite easy. Like she said, she was on her job for 13 years…they could have found her with a simple search.
2. Even if we are all on facebook, that isn’t the avenue by which you notify someone of something so serious as a death. It’s inappropriate/indecent, AT BEST! What if you were to get a message from an ex lover telling you that they tested positive for HIV and you should get tested? Oh, and they sent the message from an account with a musician as the profile pic and a name that smacks of porn. Life and death matters should NOT be handled on facebook.
Ahamd
February 27, 2013 at 5:06 pm
That’s just blatant disrespect, those people at that law enforcement agency are racist. You think they send a Facebook message If that was a young white male?
Farouq
February 21, 2013 at 4:24 pm
These attitudes can be summed up in the title of a H Rap Brown book:”Die N—-r Die!
Herman Hawkins Jr.
February 21, 2013 at 4:33 pm
Notifying the mother this way is just another instance of disrespect for black people. But I have hope that racists will get theirs. God don’t like ugly, and what you do to others will definitely come back to you.
Ruby from NJ
February 21, 2013 at 4:34 pm
A totally unacceptable situation & a slap in the face to that
entire family. That officer should be now working in the kitchen
because he/she isn’t intelligent nor sensitive enough to be
working with the public. Common sense is becoming less and less
common.
May the family forgive the idiot officer for ignorance is
truly running rampant in these end days.
Diane
February 21, 2013 at 4:54 pm
That is wrong and unprofessional…….If that young man had been white, the police employee would have handled his demise with dignity not by using Facebook to inform his family! When a Meteorite hail-storm hits these United States, a lot of folks like that police dept. will answer.
AMAZINGGRACE
February 21, 2013 at 7:05 pm
So sad! I pray for the Family that God comfort them.
Marie
February 21, 2013 at 7:18 pm
The cops involved need to be fired (ideal action) or at least suspended without pay ( the police are famous for suspending folks yet they are still getting paid). This situation demonstrates the utter disrespect and disregard that police have for Black lives.
They will kick a door in, comb the area with choppers and stop every black man in town if someone says “a Black man did it”… Yet they say they did the best they could in this situation. SMMFH
Additionally… The driver wasn’t ticketed or charged with a crime. I thought pedestrians always had the right of way and even if they run out in front of you and you hit them, the driver is investigated to the n-th degree.
Big annie
February 21, 2013 at 8:26 pm
RIP Ricky Lamb. Love to the family.
Big annie
February 21, 2013 at 8:27 pm
Wow!What a lot of class!And I definitely wouldn’t expect more from them!
kim
February 22, 2013 at 8:00 am
All that was involved should be fired. Caught around a dark corner/alley and given a good old fashioned big mama ass whipping!!!! YES I SAID IT!!!! If white folks can do and say whatever they feel, oh well shouldn’t we ALL!!!
Whitty
February 22, 2013 at 3:03 pm
What a sad scenario for the mother.
S. Collins
February 22, 2013 at 3:57 pm
It’s Georgia…. God’s wasteland.
jDub81
February 23, 2013 at 6:16 am
RIght when I thought I’d already seen enough tacky behavior in the Atlanta metro area. Some of these folks can be practically souless at times. They are beginning to rival DC in many ways if not worst.
candidman
February 23, 2013 at 2:09 pm
Ms Creasey know this that the entire Universe is watching. God Almighty is not a man that He should lie. He will vindicate for you.
Seal up the matter. Leave it all in God Almighty’s hand. Do not get bitter, get better. Your son is in God Almighty’s hand now, never again to be disresepcted by mankind. We are praying for you and your entire family.
Israeline
February 25, 2013 at 1:59 am
WoW!! My LORD! Not just unprofessional how inconsiderate of them. Would they like if someone sent a fbk msg. Saying their mom passed? God forbid if she’s still with us. But this is totally unacceptable!! I agree there should be sum releasing of job duties in that department asap!! I don’t even wanna imagine that poor woman & her daufhters heartache right now. May GOD give you all sum sort of peace and comfort. Know that HE will get you and your family through this. I’m wondering now what they did with his body since no one had known to identify & claim Ms. Creasey’s son. SMDH right now. Who put that officer in charge of that investigation?? That Sargent in charge still now should have made a PERSONAL VISIT to Ms. C ‘s home to APOLOGIZE & express the Dept.’s sincerest condolences. I would hate to live in that county. Boy oh boy! Ppl are just becoming more & more less sympathetic in this world. May GOD continue to bestow his BLESSINGS upon the family of Ricky Lamb. May Rickey’s soul RIP FOREVER. God bless you all.
Dana Gaddis
March 2, 2013 at 11:45 pm
If he was a criminal they were looking for they would have showed up at her door, her job and all of his friends house, So why in the hell they could not go to her house. Facebook is not for the police to use to inform people of death in the family a simple call or a officer going to the family house is how it should be done.
peaches
March 5, 2013 at 6:37 pm
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Mom and Son
March 30, 2013 at 8:36 am