Most people throw gender reveal parties to celebrate new life, but for one woman, it was all part of an elaborate web of deception.
Libby Vernon, a 23-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent, went to astonishing lengths to convince her boyfriend and his family that she was expecting twins—despite never being pregnant at all.
Her elaborate scheme, which included a fake baby bump, staged messages, and even a phony death certificate, ultimately landed her in court.
A Relationship Built on Falsehoods
Vernon’s deception began in 2023 when she started an online relationship with a man from Cumbria.
She initially told him that she was pregnant with the child of an ‘abusive ex-partner’ and that she needed support.
Wanting to be there for her, her new boyfriend agreed to help raise the supposed baby.
She reinforced her lie by sending him a photo of a newborn along with the message, ‘Someone wants to meet you.’
During a video call, he even saw a cot in her room, seemingly confirming the presence of a baby.
But things took a dark turn when Vernon later told him the child had stopped breathing, doctors were performing CPR, and the baby had tragically passed away.
To make the lie even more convincing, she sent him a fake death certificate, claiming the cause of death was Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
The Fake Pregnancy Takes a New Twist
Despite the heartbreak of losing a ‘child,’ the couple continued their relationship, and Vernon soon told her boyfriend she was pregnant again—this time with twins.
The two remained in a long-distance relationship, but she continued feeding him false updates about her pregnancy.
At one point, she claimed she had suffered a miscarriage and even sent him a photo of a blood clot.
However, shortly after, she reversed her story, saying doctors had misdiagnosed her and she was still carrying twins.
The Gender Reveal Party That Never Should Have Happened
As excitement built, Vernon and her boyfriend planned a gender reveal party in Cumbria with his family.
When they finally saw her in person, she appeared visibly pregnant.
However, what no one realized at the time was that she had been wearing a silicone baby bump to maintain the illusion.
The boyfriend’s family fully believed that twin boys were on the way—until Vernon suddenly claimed to be in pain and said she had been admitted to the hospital.
Her boyfriend rushed to be by her side, only to arrive at the hospital and discover that no record of her existed.
When he demanded to see her, medical staff were confused, having no knowledge of any such patient.
The Truth Comes Crashing Down
At this point, Vernon’s intricate web of lies began to unravel.
Her boyfriend, significantly distressed, confronted her, and it soon became clear that none of the pregnancies had ever been real.
Feeling betrayed and manipulated, he reported her to the authorities.
Facing the Consequences
Vernon was arrested and charged with sending false communication and fabricating a birth or death certificate.
While prosecutors admitted the case was unusual, they remained baffled about her true motives.
Defense attorney Mike Woolaghan argued that there were no clear legal guidelines for such offenses, emphasizing that Vernon had no prior criminal record and that deeper psychological factors might be at play.
What’s Next?
After admitting to her crimes, Vernon was released on bail with strict conditions: she is prohibited from entering Cumbria or contacting her ex-boyfriend by any means.
She is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on March 19, where she could face jail time for her actions.
Prosecutors also hinted that additional charges may be filed as the case continues to unfold.
With the court still grappling with how to handle this extraordinary case, one question remains: what led Vernon to such extreme deception, and will justice be served?
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