Woman uses Facebook to search for Rodney, the father of her 13-year-old daughter

An Australian woman is attempting to use the power of Facebook to locate her daughter's father.
 By 
Jenni Ryall
 on 
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Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

An Australian woman is attempting to use the power of Facebook to locate her daughter's father.

The woman, who is using the name Kerryn Leigh, posted on Facebook on April 22 that she is looking for the dad of her 13-year-old daughter Imi, who she claims was born after a holiday fling in New Zealand. 

The only things she says she knows about the mystery man: his name is Rodney, he was an Australian with long curly hair that was reddish in colour, he had a pale complexion, is of average height and would now be in his late to mid-40s. He was possibly into surfing. 


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Leigh explains that 13 years and nine months ago she was on a holiday in the snow village of Queenstown when she met Rodney and the two hooked up. She said he was there with two friends, both named John and he had just split with his partner, who he had a 2-year-old daughter with. 

When she returned home, to her shock, she discovered she was pregnant and gave birth to her daughter a week before her 40th birthday, according to WA Today.

Leigh said she did what she had to do to cope with the unexpected pregnancy and felt there was no way to find Rodney. 

"I was (almost) 40 years old with a baby in my arms with a man I didn't know," she told the publication. "I was coping with what I had. I would have let him know. He deserved to know."

Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The years went by, technology developed, and recently her friends encouraged her to reach out to her Facebook network. 

Imi had been asking more and more about her father, and Leigh believed it was only right she should try to find him with whatever means possible. 

So she uploaded two photos to Facebook -- one of herself and one of Imi -- with a plea for the people of the Internet to help her find the mystery man. She also made it clear she wasn't wanting anything from Rodney, other than to communicate and maybe a photograph to show Imi.

Obviously, with such social media posts there is always negativity attached and the possibility Rodney will struggle with the news. "It's overwhelming for me and I'm pretty sure it's going to be overwhelming at the other end," Leigh told WA Today. 

So far, she said she hasn't found a match but has had a lot of people messaging with tip offs and possible Rodneys. "There's nothing that's come through of any real confirmation, there are a couple of possibilities, but I just need to know that these people were in Queenstown at that time," Leigh said. "I think I've been given every Rodney in Queensland... Poor Rodneys!" 

Leigh has been contacted for comment. Her claims have not been independently verified. 

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Jenni Ryall

Jenni Ryall is Mashable's VP of Content Strategy. She spends her time launching cool, new things such as Mashable Deals and Mashable Reels. On the other days, she is developing strong partnerships with companies including Apple News, Flipboard, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter and Reddit.

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