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Cruel online trolls target bullied boy with dwarfism with 'fake' age claims

Cruel trolls have targeted a bullied Brisbane boy with dwarfism after his GoFundMe page raised more than $600,000.

Quaden Bayles gained worldwide attention this week with Hollywood actors and top class athletes throwing support behind him after the nine year old was filmed sobbing after being bullied at school.

He was filmed saying he wanted to die with his mum Yarraka Bayles claiming he suffers every day.

With support growing, and more than half a million dollars raised in less than 48 hours to send Quaden on a holiday to Disneyland, trolls have begun to target the young boy.

Quaden Bayles, 9, sobs in the seat of a car.
Quaden Bayles, 9, cries about being bullied. Source; Facebook

On Quaden’s Instagram page, which has amassed a following of more than 260,000 people, the family has warned of a fake Twitter account in his name in circulation.

“This s*** is crazy! Mfs in the US so gullible,” one its tweets reads.

It also jokes about Quaden soon being able to buy Disneyland.

The Twitter account links back to the GoFundMe page.

There are also a number of Instagram accounts purporting to belong to Quaden too.

His official account has been changed to private.

A number of false reports have also circulated claiming Quaden is 18 and not nine years old.

In response to the reports, Ms Bayles shared a Facebook post from a woman who claims she knew Quaden before the video.

“I’ve known Quaden since before this s*** blew up,” she wrote.

“Yes, he’s nine. Dwarfism is not a joke. All the money in the world can’t change a disability or the pain that comes from it.”

Quaden’s actually been in the news before.

In 2015, SBS featured Quaden in Australian Indigenous current affairs program Living Black. It focused on surgery Quaden was in need of and explained his condition Achondroplasia.

He was four at the time the episode was filmed.

Quaden Bayles pictured in 2015.
Quaden in 2015 before surgery. Source: SBS

Quaden was on the US’s Today Show in 2016 too. He was five when the segment exploring his ongoing issues with bullying was aired.

His mum spoke about how having a dog named Buddy, a Shih Tzu rescue dog who also has dwarfism, was helping her boy.

“Quaden now proudly accepts that he’s got dwarfism, because Buddy’s given him that reason to think that it’s cool,” Ms Bayles told Today.

She added most of the negative attention was coming from adults.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.

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