The birth of a baby is always a joyous occasion, especially when parents finally get to meet their little one after months of anticipation. While ultrasounds offer glimpses of the baby, nothing compares to the moment of holding them for the first time.
Newborns often surprise us with unique features, from thick hair to adorable dimples. However, the biggest shock can come when a baby looks completely different from their parents.
This was precisely the case for one family whose story quickly went viral, sparking widespread curiosity and online debate. Read on to learn how it all unfolded.
Rachel, a cashier at Celina 52 Truck Stop in Tennessee, gave birth to her son, Cash Jamal Buckman, on February 17. However, what caught people’s attention was that while Rachel and her fiancé, Paul Buckman, are both white, their baby appeared to be Black.
The truck stop shared a photo of the family on Facebook, congratulating Rachel on the arrival of her son.
“Congratulations to our cashier Rachel and her fiancé Paul Buckman on their baby, Cash Jamal Buckman, born Saturday at 6:18 p.m.,” the post read.
Instead of simply receiving warm wishes, the post was met with comments questioning the baby’s paternity, with some speculating that Paul might not be the biological father.
In response to the growing debate, Celina 52 Truck Stop updated their post, stating: “Yes, Paul is the father. Rachel has African American ancestry, which can sometimes skip generations and result in a child having darker skin.”
They also mentioned that Cash could have jaundice, a common newborn condition affecting skin tone, and urged commenters to be kind.
Despite the explanation, skepticism and jokes continued to flood social media.
One user sarcastically commented: “Congratulations! I’m sure he looks just like his dad. Where is he?”
Another suggested a hospital mix-up: “Definitely needs a DNA test—what if they switched babies in the nursery?”
Some even expressed sympathy for Paul, with one person writing: “I feel bad for him. Being deceived like this is on another level. Hopefully, he realizes the truth.”
Frustrated by the accusations, Rachel decided to address the controversy head-on by sharing what she claimed were her DNA results on Facebook to prove her ancestry.
“To those doubting I have Black DNA, maybe this will clear things up—straight from my Ancestry DNA results!!! Now stop slandering me and my fiancé Paul Buckman. He IS Lil Cash’s father,” she wrote.
Despite her effort to end the speculation, the jokes kept coming.
“That’s the strongest 1% I’ve ever seen… This looks like a job for Maury,” one person joked.
Another user, with a similar ancestry report, added: “I have that too… and both my babies still look Irish as a boiled potato.”
The story quickly spread across social media, with thousands weighing in on the situation. TikTok users also joined the conversation, adding their own humorous takes.
As rumors continued to swirl, Celina 52 Truck Stop announced plans to conduct polygraph and DNA tests on their employees—an unexpected twist that only fueled further speculation.