Faked Kidnapping Story Results in False Report, 911 Abuse Charges
In an incident of which investigators have yet to get to the root cause, two juvenile girls devised an elaborate kidnapping story. Law enforcement personnel were able to prove that the story was a hoax, and as a result, the girls were charged in juvenile court with making a false report and 911 abuse.
An Elaborate Plan and a False Report
Two separate stories exist as to what happened to the 16- and 17-year-old girls early on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 9.
According to a report from KSL News, the girls said that while out walking in their Bountiful neighborhood, two men and a woman in an SUV forced the girls by knifepoint into the vehicle. The girls were bound with duct tape and held captive for most of the day in the vehicle until they were able to escape in Santaquin. They flagged down a passing vehicle and made a tearful 911 call. One of the girls still had the duct tape from their abductor on her body.
Bountiful police have uncovered a different story, leading to the charges of making a false report and 911 abuse. According to Bountiful Police Sgt. Troy Killian, records show the girls taking various forms of public transportation from Bountiful ultimately to Santaquin. Killian said there is surveillance video of the girls in a Payson convenience store during the time they were supposedly being held captive. He believes this is where the duct tape was possibly purchased that they used to corroborate their story.
As to a motive, Killian can only speculate as the girls haven’t offered a reason. “They didn’t think we would believe them,” Killian stated. His guess is that the girls discovered that the bus from Payson to Santaquin only went one way and they panicked when they realized they were stuck there. Another possible motivation could be simply a cry for attention, as it has been reported that the girls either come from homes in the middle of divorce of where there is other family strife.
Both girls were charged in the 2nd District Juvenile Court with misdemeanor counts of making a false report and 911 abuse.
Making a False Report not just a Prank Call
According to Utah Criminal Code 76-9-202, the actions carried out by these two girls falls under “Emergency Reporting – Interfering – False Report.” According to the code in this case, “a person is guilty of emergency reporting abuse if he … reports an emergency or causes an emergency to be reported to any public, private, or volunteer entity whose purpose is to respond to fire, police, or medical emergencies, when the actor knows the reported emergency does not exist.”
Making a false report is considered a class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. In most juvenile cases, jail time may be replaced by juvenile detention or other punishments more suited to a minor. However, these are clearly still very serious charges. If your child has been charged with making a false report, make sure to contact an experienced juvenile defense attorney who will look out for their best interests.
