Family who said disfigured three-year-old was thrown out of KFC DENY their story is a hoax after investigation found they never even went to restaurant - but still received $30,000 from fast-food giant

• Three-year-old Victoria Wilcher was seriously injured when she was mauled by three pit bulls in her grandfather's backyard
• Her grandmother claims she they were in KFC when they were asked to leave because the girl was making other customers 'uncomfortable'
  
• KFC apologized and donated $30,000 to help with Victoria's medical bills
• But an independent review has found the incident didn't happen
  
• Surveillance video shows the woman and girl didn't go to KFC that day and there are no receipts showing the combination of items they bought
• But the family insisted on Facebook that the story is true and the investigation into their claims is not yet finished
  
• The family has raised more than $135,000 - and it is unclear if they will face criminal charges if found to have made the incident up
  

By David Mccormack

Published: 23:37 EDT, 23 June 2014 | Updated: 13:55 EDT, 24 June 2014

A family who said their three-year-old child was thrown out of KFC because her scarred face was 'scaring customers' have denied the story was a hoax - as an investigation has claimed.

Victoria Wilcher, who lost an eye in a dog attack, made headlines earlier this month after her family posted a photo entitled 'Does this face look scary to you?' on a Facebook page, Victoria's Victories.

The allegations against KFC drew widespread condemnation and prompted the chain to donate $30,000 towards Victoria’s charity, as an independent review was launched into the incident.

An unnamed source involved in the investigation told the Laurel Leader-Call that all the evidence in the case suggests the story told by Victoria's grandmother, Kelly Mullins, on May 15 was a hoax.

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Hoax victim? A source involved in the investigation said all the evidence in the case points towards the matter being a hoax and that Victoria Wilcher, three, wasn't asked to leave a KFC in Mississippi

After reviewing surveillance tape from the Woodrow Wilson Drive branch – and another in Jackson - investigators found that the woman and the little girl didn't even visit the restaurant that day.

The grandmother had also previously told WAPT that she ‘ordered a sweet tea and mashed potatoes and gravy’ at the restaurant before they were asked to leave.

But a review of transactions on May 15 at both Jackson locations found those items weren’t included in the same order at any point.

And no one matching the description of Mullins or Victoria visited either restaurant, the Leader-Call reported. 'It just didn’t happen,' the source told the newspaper.

But despite the findings, the little girl's family has insisted that they are telling the truth.

'I promise its not a hoax,' said a statement the girl's Facebook group, likely written by her aunt, who maintains the page. 'I never thought any of this would blow up the way it has.'

No shows: After reviewing surveillance tape from the branch the investigators have found that the girl and her grandmother, who claimed they had been asked to leave, didn't even visit the restaurant that day

Victoria's grandmother, Kelly Mullins, left, continues to stand by her story, despite an independent inquiry finding no evidence to back up her claims

Denial: In a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday, the family denied they had made up the story and said the investigation was ongoing

She claimed that the story accusing them of making up the story is 'untrue' and pointed out that the investigation is not complete.

'It is not over until KFC releases a statement,' the statement continued.

'The family has not asked for anything... I have personally watched this family go without to provide for Victoria. They have not and would not do anything to hurt Victoria in any way.'

Some of the Facebook users commenting on the statement did not believe the story, however.

'This is the sad reality of the world,' Olivia Normand wrote. 'People use what they can to get what they want. Time to move on.'

Victoria had been injured in April when three of her grandfather's pit bull dogs ran into his home in Simpson County by ripping through the back door of the home before jumping on her.

They dragged the little girl outside into the backyard, where they continued to maul her before her grandfather, Donald Mullins, and his girlfriend, Rita Tompkins, attempted to stop the carnage.

Apology: The family shared the alleged story on Victoria's Facebook page and KFC had quickly apologized

The dogs then attacked their owners, causing Mullins to shoot them. Two of the dogs were killed.

Victoria was rushed to the emergency room. She suffered a shattered top and bottom jaw, broken cheekbones and eyesockets, a broken nose, lost her right eye, and lost the ability to move the right side of her face.

Mullins and Tompkins were arrested on charges of child endangerment and their eight surviving pit bulls were seized by Animal Control officers.

Victoria was in the hospital for a month after the attack and upon her return home, she continued with physical therapy and wore a feeding tube.

Before the story hit the headlines, a gofundme.com site for Victoria had raised only $600, but since then more than $135,000 has been raised.

Attack: Victoria is pictured left before the attack in April. Right, she is pictured the hospital six hours after her grandfather's dogs attacked her - claiming her right eye in the incident and causing facial paralysis

Getting better: She is expected to undergo several more surgeries in the future as she heals from the attack

On Saturday, Las Vegas plastic surgeon Frank Stile flew out to Jackson after hearing the story and pledged to donate the costs of covering the expensive reconstructive procedures, likely in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Dick West, who owns the local Jackson KFC franchises, posted on Facebook about the incident on Saturday.

'When the allegation was first made, KFC pledged $30,000 to go to medical expenses and started an investigation to find the truth,' he wrote.

'They have pledged the money even if it is proven that the incident never happened. At this point their story is full of holes. Any thinking person who follows their timeline can see it. The event at KFC never happened.'

It is unclear if Kelly Mullins will face criminal charges if found to have made up the incident.