Editor's note: In accordance with the Spectrum Networks News Standards policy, which was updated since the publication of this article, we have removed identifying information of the teenagers from the story.
NEW YORK - You may remember our Acts of Kindness report on two Staten Island teenagers Monday. They said they have been bringing free groceries to seniors who are housebound because of coronavirus.
"At the beginning of every school year, our mom would tell us to fill a bucket of a minimum of ten good deeds daily. Since then, doing good came naturally to us," one of the teens said.
NY1 also reported on a GoFundMe page created to raise money for their effort. Other New York stations also reported on them.
What we did not know, is that last week, the teens were featured in a story by a Florida station, which said the teens had claimed to live in that community and deliver groceries to people who lived there. They claimed to have graduated from a high school in Florida.
However, one teen's LinkedIn page, which boasts of several accomplishments, shows the teen attended a high school on Staten Island.
The day after we reported on the teens, the Florida station discovered the story to them did not hold up.
The station said it initially reported about the teens after someone contacted the station asking for help in highlighting the teens, who she said were making a difference.
A woman also contacted NY1 to do a story about the teens. She said she was their mom.
After learning about the Florida story, NY1 called the woman back. She denied wrongdoing and handed the phone to the teens.
They insisted the woman was not their mom and that they did not have her number or address.
The teens repeatedly denied speaking to the Florida reporter, or saying they attended high school there.
When pressed, they admitted they did speak to him, and that they said they graduated from a high school in Florida. They claimed they misunderstood his questions.
Their GoFundMe site, which had received $250 in donations, has been taken down.
"I can confirm that we removed the campaign and all donors will be refunded. Campaigns with misuse are very rare, and we take all complaints very seriously,” said GoFundMe spokesman Melanie Yost said.