Scapegoats are people or things that are blamed for something bad that happens, even if it's not their fault.
Scapegoats are usually innocent and are unfairly blamed for something.
Examples:
The cat was the scapegoat for knocking over the vase.
He became the scapegoat for the team's loss.
The little brother is always the scapegoat when something goes wrong.
The poor dog is the scapegoat for the missing cookies.
The black cat is the scapegoat for all the bad luck in the house.
The youngest child is often the scapegoat for the messes in the house.