The Claim: Photos Show Rihanna Holding Her Newborn Baby
A series of photos that circulated online in late March claimed to show singer and entrepreneur Rihanna with her first child.
Both photos show the singer cradling a baby in her arms.
A March 27 Facebook post shared the photos, tagging them as “Rihanna’s child.” It was shared about 400 times in two weeks.
Another post from March 31 included the photos with a caption reading, “Rihanna welcomes (sic) a beautiful baby girl.”
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However, the photos in this post are actually from 2014 and reports from the time identify the baby in the photo as his niece. Rihanna is pregnant, but there have been no legitimate reports of her giving birth as of April 12.
USA TODAY has reached out to Facebook users who shared the images for comment.
The photos are old, no arrival announcement
These photos were first posted by Rihanna herself on her verified Facebook page and Twitter accounts.
“Majesty x Aunty OhNaNa,” read the caption of a June 2014 Facebook post, referencing a verse from her hit song “What’s My Name.”
USA TODAY could not find any confirmed reports of Rihanna giving birth on her social media accounts or through legitimate news sources.
Rihanna publicly announced her first child with her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, on Jan. 31 with the release of a series of photos taken by famed photographer Miles Diggs.
In a March interview with Elle, Rihanna told the outlet that she was in her third trimester.
The star did not reveal a due date. Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have not made any public announcement regarding the birth of their child or the baby’s gender.
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Independent fact-checking organizations debunked the claim in the post.
Our opinion: False
Based on our research, we rate the claim that the photos show Rihanna holding her newborn baby FALSE. Photos in the post show Rihanna holding her niece in 2014. There is no evidence from legitimate news outlets that Rihanna had her baby.
Our fact-checking sources:
- USA TODAY January 31, Rihanna Confirms She’s Expecting First Child With A$AP Rocky, Shares New Baby Bump Photo
- ELLE, November 6, 2018, Rihanna just dedicated four entire Instagram galleries to a little lady and we’re jealous
- AFP Fact Check, March 30, photos do not show Rihanna holding her child
- People, March 30, Rihanna’s new charm bracelet from A$AP Rocky may hint at their baby’s due date
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