It was an entirely made up story by a girl who was upset that her mother had taken away her phone. But for a few hours in Palm Coast’s Seminole Woods neighborhood Thursday evening, the girl’s claim of having been kidnapped provoked a commotion, a lot of concern and a significant response from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Around 8 p.m. Thursday a 13-year-old girl knocked on some residents’ doors at the southwestern end of the Seminole Woods neighborhood, claiming she’d been kidnapped and had managed to escape.
She told one resident that she’d been walking her dog at the intersection of Slogan Place and Slogan Court when a man supposedly pulled up in a four-door black pickup truck, jumped out, grabbed her by her left arm, pulled her into his truck and drove south on Seminole Woods Boulevard, a short distance to the traffic light at U.S. 1.
When he got to the light, the girl claims she jumped out and ran to Squash Blossom Trail, the first street off Seminole Woods Boulevard before it reaches U.S. 1. According to a Flagler County Sheriff’s incident report, the girl claims to have gone all the way to the end of Squash Blossom Trail and knocked on some residents’ doors but no one answered. So she then went to Squire Court, again got no answer from knocking on doors there, and finally was answered by a 31-year-old resident on Squire Court.
She told him her story. The resident of course immediately called 911. Numerous sheriff’s units responded. They started canvassing the neighborhood, knocking on residents’ doors, interviewing them and asking for any available surveillance footage. Concern quickly spread in the neighborhood as residents took to their Facebook pages to share information and alert each other.
Then problems with the girl’s story began to emerge.
She could not provide any description of the pickup truck, except that it had a blue touch screen radio, the incident report states. “She could not provide a race, build, age or any other description of the male, except that he was wearing a gray t-shirt with the word ‘Nike’ across the front. She also could not advise a direction of travel for
the pickup truck.”
One of the deputies investigating the case made contact with the girl’s 45-year-old mother. She told the deputy that her daughter may have been lying “because she had just taken [the girl’s] phone away for not doing her chores.”
A detective then spoke to the girl, who finally owned up to making up the story. She told him that when she got upset about her phone being confiscated, she decided to run away. She’d left the house ostensibly to walk the dog. But she left her dog on Slogan Court, walked down Seminole Woods Parkway to Squash Blossom Trail, and “got scared.” Parts of the report are censored, leaving portions of the sequence of events unclear. A neighbor found the dog and returned it to its residence.
Making a false report of a crime is a first-degree misdemeanor under Florida law. “The investigation is ongoing to determine whether or not there will be charges,” a sheriff’s spokesperson said this morning.
Vinny says
I know a few “over 30” women who need their phones taken away !
Really says
Do what Ma says and you wont make a fool of yourself in alot of ways. Lesson learned hopefully
The Truth says
If that was my daughter she would never had a phone again, until she was 18 and moved out of the house.
And, she would have a lot more then a phone taken away from her. She needs to be taught that you pay the consequences when you lie about something.
Concerned Citizen says
I know people will think I’m harsh but here goes.
She needs to be charged with Making a false report. Let her suffer the consequences of making poor choices (this was not a mistake) and deal with a first degree misdemeanor.
She tied up law enforcement resources and wasted man hours searching for someone that wasn’t there. She also caused a lot of undue concern for her neighborhood as well.
Along with the misdemeanor charge she needs to be billed for the response required by the SO. Let her work it off with those chores she didn’t want to do by answering to community service.
Our youth needs to be taught responsibility and accountability. All to often they get away with serious offenses and then later down the road get into more trouble. I see kids talk to their parents in public in ways I would have never dreamed of. I mean come on I’m in my mid 40’s and still say sir and mam.
This isn’t about mental health issues or not knowing right from wrong. It’s about a bratty 13 year old who defied her mom then threw a temper and got law enforcement involved. Now she needs to own it and pay the consequences.
Freddy says
When persons like these wastes the sheriffs department time and money someone has got to pay.That is my tax money going to waste on BS.
Agkistrodon says
In the near future humans will be born with a cell phone attached to their hand, permanently, Which is NOT much different from people now. People forget their children in cars, but NOT their phone, and that is truly sad. Perhaps put your damn phone down and look around you, You might just get some first hand enlightening knowledge from it, rather what someone ELSE wants you to think are “facts”. Besides, for the bulk of people, NOTHING is so important that it can’t wait for at least an hour, and if it is, there is probably little YOU will be able to do, as your phone probably won’t solve a problem like that.
woody says
Needs some good old foot to ass therapy.
Really says
All joking aside I agree . To get LEO involved etc. With a lie is way serious over a dumb phone
ASF says
Sounds like some counseling might be in order.
Patricia Kidwell says
I totally agree she should be punished for wasting the sheriff departments time and man power when there are so many other things they could be be taking care of. I agree also with the person that said she would not get another phone until she is an adult and shows she can act like one. Give her some community service and also let her do some ride alongside on a Friday and Saturday night so she can get a clue why to sheriffs office is there with the sheriffs on duty
flagler1 says
Yeah, some counseling should help her to talk about her feelings, her true feelings.
palmcoaster says
Counseling should be community work ( bathing, walking and cleaning dog kennels at the Flagler Humane Society until the total tax payers funds are recovered and she is grounded and no phone for a couple of years.., until she proves that walks the line.
This pay off back to taxpayers wasted funds should be the norm for all teens misdemeanors.
Fustrated Grandmom says
I’ve seen this entitlement in my own Grandkids. What is the problem with these parents saying no. Please, when your child acts up, don’t ignore it. Correcting them is the right response. Start parenting your kids correctly.
Willy Boy says
What are “chores’?
Anonymous says
Hands down the dumbest story I have EVER heard what a waste of money for a damn cell phone
Trailer Bob says
Spoiled little brat. Who is paying for the phone and the service? Parents today are bringing up a whole nother type of brats…not all, but too many. I remember when your parents would not get arrested for smacking you butt with a belt. Thank the liberal left for the erosion of our society,
BlackPower says
Didnt the girls in LDarius Smith case also make up lies?
atilla says
Where I came from years ago the judge gave you a choice and the choices were reform school for a few years or join the military. Our punishment system for everyone has become pretty lax over the years.
Born and Raised Here says
Like Parent, like child.
mark101 says
Interesting how a 13 year old can come up with this type of fabrication.