Hi Walter! I got a new gf today! (APOLOGY)

[Good evening, Imgurians.

Well, needless to say, I'm still kind of digesting everything that has transpired over the last few days.

I only want to clear up a few points in this album, and perhaps I'll revisit the story in more detail later on in the week. I really just want to be done with it, since it has consumed me for the last 4 or 5 days. However, I did say I would follow up even if the video turned out to be fake.

We did the right thing.

It's so easy and so unfair to say now, "TOLD YA SO!" I don't care what anyone says, we did the right thing. I never entertained the superficial argument of the video's authenticity; that's been ongoing since it became viral MONTHS ago. My entire position since I unraveled this story was to build a case for it to be investigated. Although I was fascinated with its sudden twist that briefly linked it to a 7 year long cold case, I continued to maintain an indifferent opinion about its origin and only hoped for the best. ]

***The above statement was made only hours after the ANPD determined the Walter video was unrelated to Kayla Berg.

EDITED AND UPDATED:

I want to point out that I don't really have anything to gain by this story, and did not pursue any type of gain either once the investigation took off. I'm not a professional writer, nor am I professionally affiliated with Imgur. I'm just a guy that writes stories for free on an internet website as a hobby, and I've made that clear to both law enforcement and Kayla's family.

The initial album WAS intended to "whore" internet points and play the game of Imgur. It was a compilation of scary/creepy content off YouTube and the internet. I do pride myself on the research and writing that goes into presenting these stories. I always try to go a step above in my content because I'm honestly fascinated with the macabre, and I enjoy writing about it.

The connection I drew between Kayla and the Walter video were originally intended to speculate on if there was more to this mysterious video, and it made for a compelling story. Nobody that saw the story could tell me that it didn't create some cause for it to be investigated, at the very least. I stand by that statement wholeheartedly.

When I made the now infamous album, I did so with legit concern, but I was not entirely convinced that it was a lead until a massive outpouring of people urged me to contact the authorities not once, BUT TWICE, or once per post dealing with the topic. I admit that I got swept up in the hysteria and made some very obvious mistakes, mainly in creating this potentially dangerous mob.

To Imgur:

I want to apologize to the staff at Imgur and the Imgur community for dragging them through this entire ordeal. It was irresponsible to drum up all this attention, and I hope it hasn't tarnished the reputation of the website or it's staff. The staff at Imgur work hard to give us this space to share our content. I also want to commend Imgur on their willingness to help, when we all thought someone was in peril, even though my suspicions were mistaken.

To 2150studios:

The actor and actress involved in the video were identified late last night, and the authorities have determined they are not related to Kayla Berg in any way. They released a statement on their Facebook page saying they were never going to pick up a camera again, and they have since removed their content from YouTube. Their YouTube channel was filled with entertaining and amusing videos, and showed a lot of good talent and potential. I want to apologize to them and I urge them to never give up on their passions in life and to continue their work. 2150studios has asked me to remove their likeness from my posts, and I have. They also asked me to convey this message: http://imgur.com/Wi6t8wh

UPDATE:

This is an official statement by 2150studios: http://imgur.com/gallery/pYY3r
They expressed a deep remorse for the turmoil the video has caused Kayla's family, and wish to use the attention the story has garnered to spread Kayla's story. They requested of me to post their official statement in a specific format, and I will continue to help them where ever I can.

Please do not harass or pursue ANYONE that was named in the investigation. It was never my intention for innocent people o be harassed or assaulted.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/AntigoPoliceDepartment/

EDITED AND UPDATED:

The above image is the official statement from the Antigo police department. They became involved when I linked Kayla Berg to the viral video and essentially uprooted a 7 year long cold case. The detective I spoke to said that their community had been put through a lot; perhaps no one has been through more than Kayla's mother, Hope.

This whole ordeal caused Hope and her family a lot of distress. I truly feel terrible about that, and that's the one thing I regret the most out of everything that has happened. I couldn't even imagine what it must've felt like to watch that video and see a girl that could've been her daughter in some insane, harrowing situation. For that, I'm truly sorry.

I hope that at the very least, the amount of press that Kayla got over the weekend and the past couple of days might offset some of that pain, and perhaps new leads will flourish.

With that said, Imgurians, I still feel like a complete asshole for causing all this. Just know, that it came from genuine concern. I want to thank EVERYONE who answered the call when we thought somebody was in peril. The state of the outcome is subjective, you take what you want from it. You guys have shown how powerful Imgur really is, and how big of a heart the community really has. For that I am truly humbled and honored to be among you, and hope that I can continue to submit my content.

Thank you.