Deadspin reports that Manti Te'o's dead girlfriend is a hoax

Deadspin.com is reporting that the death of Manti Te'o's girlfriend was a hoax. The website is reporting Te'o's girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, did not exist and that photos of the woman purported to be Kekua were actually someone else.

Notre Dame issued the following statement:

On Dec. 26, Notre Dame coaches were informed by Manti Te'o and his parents that Manti had been the victim of what appears to be a hoax in which someone using the fictitious name Lennay Kekua apparently ingratiated herself with Manti and then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had tragically died of leukemia. The University immediately initiated an investigation to assist Manti and his family in discovering the motive for and nature of this hoax. While the proper authorities will continue to investigate this troubling matter, this appears to be, at a minimum, a sad and very cruel deception to entertain its perpetrators.

The Tribune is working on its own story regarding this latest breaking news.

Check www.southbendtribune.com for the latest developments.

To read the entire story go to Deadspin.com.