*As support for Karmelo Anthony continues to grow online, so too do the rumors, many of them rooted in misinformation and prejudice.
The 17-year-old Texas high school student, who was recently released on a $250,000 bond after being charged with the killing of Austin Metcalf at a track meet, is at the center of a heated national conversation. Now, a new wave of false claims is targeting his family over how donations are being used.
Social media has erupted with accusations that Anthony’s family is misusing the nearly $450,000 raised through a GiveSendGo fundraiser to purchase a new house and a luxury SUV. But according to GiveSendGo co-founder Jacob Wells, not a single dollar has been withdrawn. “No funds have been distributed,” Wells told TMZ, emphasizing that the platform is waiting for “clarity from the campaign recipient on use of funds so that the people that have given can be confident in how their donation is being used.”
Despite the freeze on funds, photos of the house the Anthony family is allegedly renting have been circulated online, with some claiming the move was unnecessary and extravagant. In reality, the family has relocated to a gated community due to security concerns, following online threats and growing national attention. Defense attorney Mike Howard said, “Living in a gated community, given everything, the safety of their younger children is very warranted.”
Critics have also pointed to a Cadillac Escalade spotted at the residence. However, defenders say the vehicle was purchased in 2023, well before the fundraiser began, and has nothing to do with the donations.
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MOTHER OF KARMELO ANTHONY: “We have not received a single dime from the GiveSendGo fundraiser…We were just notified yesterday that we could begin to withdraw funds…”
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 17, 2025
“This family needs to be able to survive. There’s been a tremendous amount of pressure,” Howard said. “I think at this point, living in a gated community, given everything, the safety of their younger children is very warranted. Security details and criminal defense are not cheap.”
Karmelo’s father also confirmed they have no access to the funds. The donations were never intended for bail, defense attorneys explained, but to help with legal expenses and day-to-day costs after both parents had to take time off work.
The family of Karmelo Anthony held a press conference today, & Austin Metcalf’s father showed up to crash it seemingly as a form of public harassment & intimidation. Is this where Austin Metcalf learned how to harass & intimidate ( & allegedly ASSAULT) people?
Does the apple… pic.twitter.com/KWCorixksd
— Tariq Nasheed ?? (@tariqnasheed) April 17, 2025
GiveSendGo has stood by its decision to host the fundraiser. “It’s not up to the company to decide Anthony’s guilt or innocence,” Wells said. “Justice will be served inside the courtroom.”
In the meantime, supporters continue to rally behind Karmelo. One donor wrote, “Donating again because the pain of watching a young Black child be targeted by lies and hate is too much to bear.”
The trial date for Anthony has not yet been set.
Meanwhile, the Anthony family held an emotional press conference this afternoon, where Karmelo Anthony’s mother tearfully addressed the growing backlash and misinformation surrounding their family. Metcalf’s father crashed it as a form of public harassment and intimidation.
“The lies and false accusations that have been said about us, especially over the past week, have been overwhelming,” she said, noting that the stress has taken a serious toll on their lives, revealing her husband had to step away from work out of fear for their family’s safety.
“His mental health is deteriorating day by day,” she added.
Defending their values and how they’ve raised Karmelo, she stated, “[Karmelo] has been raised in a two-parent home with structure, stability, love, and we put God first in everything that we do. We believe in the Constitution.”
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Judge Faces Threats After Reducing Bond for Karmelo Anthony in Stabbing Case
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