I don’t know if this is planned or sheer incompetence and playing telephone.

But what I do know is, if it is planned, then either:

1. They care mostly about the immediate reaction to the news — trying to stoke the fire of stochastic violence. If the truth comes out in a few days, that’s outside the window they are hoping to create a reaction within.
2. Or maybe they expect the truth, being a non-event, will not be reported by the same outlets that spread the rumors. They outlets will simply drop it and not report on it any more, but the audience will be left with the idea that the kid was a secret trans activist.