CARBONDALE - The heart-wrenching writing of young Kodee Kennings made her the darling of the Daily Egyptian. Hers was the voice of a child whose loving father was serving in Iraq.

Problem is, the student newspaper at Southern Illinois University Carbondale appears to have been the target of an elaborate hoax.

Kodee first wrote a letter to the editor that appeared in the Daily Egyptian in 2003 that talked about her father serving as a soldier in Iraq. Young Kodee complained about graffiti on campus that opposed the war.

In spring 2003, Daily Egyptian writer Michael Brenner wrote a story in which Kodee and her father, Dan Kennings, had an emotional parting at Fort Campbell, Ky. Brenner reported that Kodee would be staying with Matt and Colleen Hastings. The Hastings were listed as Kodee's guardians in several different news articles.

Later Kodee was invited to submit random columns to the student newspaper in which she wrote about the difficulties of being separated from her father, who was reportedly stationed near Baghdad. He was portrayed as Kodee's only living parent. The newspaper reported Kodee had lost her mother when she was 5.

Lance Speere, general manager of the Daily Egyptian, declined to discuss details about the allegations but issued a statement confirming that the college newspaper had been duped and that the stories are in fact inaccurate and under investigation by his staff.

"We have become aware that the Daily Egyptian produced a number of news stories and columns during 2003 and 2004 that were inaccurate. These stories appear to have been the result of an elaborate hoax that was perpetrated upon the Daily Egyptian staff. The staff is shocked by these revelations because we stress fair, accurate and complete journalism in our courses and in the Daily Egyptian.

"In this instance, the student reporters and editors failed to verify the essential facts of the story. Our reporters are continuing to investigate the process by which these stories were produced and will make every attempt to explain the facts to our readers as they uncover them."

A few more facts in this unraveling mystery:

l Matt Hastings, Kodee's guardian who was reported to be a student, isn't listed in any SIUC student directories dating back to the 2002-2003 directory.

l Kodee was reported to be a regular in the Daily Egyptian newsroom during 2003 and 2004 when the war in Iraq was at its peak. She would regularly phone the newsroom, according to former Daily Egyptian staffers. A local number for the Hastings has been disconnected.

l Kodee was known to wear a military camouflage uniform.

l A Web site on Aug. 10 reported Dan Kennings' death in Iraq. Once news organizations began checking into the report, it was discovered no American soldier named Dan Kennings had been killed in Iraq. It is undetermined if a Dan Kennings served in the military or is currently serving in the military. That's when entire story began unraveling.

l Brenner was the editor of The Daily Egyptian when most of the Kodee stories and columns appeared. He served internships at the Springfield State Journal-Register and at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

So what's the motive?

The Daily Egyptian's general manager said the motive behind the entire Kodee story may be the biggest riddle yet to unravel.

"There is still confusion over what the motive may have been," Speere said.

However, he added that he didn't think money was the motive.

However, in many of Kodee's columns it was noted that her father had to pay $2 per minute to phone home from Iraq and the father's personal e-mail, a Yahoo account, was listed.

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