When a white couple’s newborn (a black baby) appears to be a black baby, parental discussions on genetics and paternity go viral and accompanied by their tested DNA results.
The birth of a child is typically a joyous occasion, but for Rachel and her fiancé, Paul Buckman, it became a viral sensation. At the Celina 52 Truck Stop in Tennessee, where Rachel employed as cashier, the partners welcomed their son, Cash Jamal Buckman, on February 17. The unexpected twist? Both parents are white, yet baby Cash appears to be Black.
The truck stop posted a congratulatory photo of the family on Facebook, which drew instant attention. Instead of the expected friendly messages, the feed contained insults to the paternity of Cash with some users even suggesting that Paul could not be the biological father.
“Yes, Paul is the father. Rachel has African American DNA in her which can skip generations and cause a child to be born with darker skin. They also mentioned the possibility of Cash having jaundice, a common condition in newborns, and urged commenters to “Please be kind.
Despite this explanation, doubts and jokes persisted online. Some individuals expressed sympathy for Paul, while others suggested a DNA test to confirm paternity.
“For the haters saying that I [don’t] have black DNA maybe this will clear it up straight from my ancestry DNA results!!!! NO MORE slandering mine and my [fiancé] Paul Buckman. he IS the father of Lil Cash.”
However, the skepticism continued, with many questioning the validity of the test results and making light of the situation. The tale spread rapidly in cyberspace, with people posting humorous versions on TikTok and other social media.
When rumors spread out, Celina 52 Truck Stop announced a plan to run polygraph and DNA tests on their personnel, and this led to even more public interest. The result of these tests is still unknown, but this unforeseen turn of events has certainly generated broad interest, transforming a simple birth announcement into an engaging viral event.
