A thirteen year old Newhall youth was arrested this morning after she filed a false police report stating she had been kidnaped and held against her will in a Newhall area garage for approximately three hours.
On Wednesday, January 23, 2008, deputies responded to a call where the teenage girl reported she was walking home in the area of Wiley Canyon Road and Lyons Avenue when two men wearing ski masks approached her, rendered her unconscious and kidnaped her. She reported that she later awoke in a Newhall area garage with the men standing over her. She claimed she found a cell phone in the garage and managed to escape after the men left the area.
Numerous deputies converged on the Newhall house the teen had identified as the one she was held in. Deputies contained the house and called in detectives from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station's COBRA Team. The COBRA Team began the process of obtaining a search warrant and planning for a potential tactical operation at the house, when the investigation began uncovering several inconsistencies in the young girl's story.
After additional investigation, detectives report that the teenage girl later admitted she had made the entire story up because she had been out with some friends, was late returning home and didn't want to get in trouble with her parents.
The subject was booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station on a misdemeanor charge of Filing a False Crime Report. She was later released to her parents pending potential court proceedings. Detectives will refer the case to the San Fernando Juvenile Court - District Attorney's Office for filing consideration.
This incident required the utilization of several station personnel and resources and the potential for a warrant service on a completely innocent Newhall area resident. Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station officials would like to remind any person who is considering filing a false crime report or a false report of an emergency that it is illegal and could result in criminal charges.
The investigation is ongoing and their is no further information at this time. -ref 01412
If You See Something, Say Something! Report non-emergency crime anonymously by visiting the following link: Crime Tips or calling (661) 284-2-TIP / (661) 284-2847.
Always verify the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station's information and news releases by visiting our website at SCVSheriff, the City of Santa Clarita's website at Santa-Clarita, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's website at LASD or a trusted local news source. Three other local news outlets are KHTS AM-1220, The Signal and SCV TV. For questions regarding this release, contact Sergeant Harris at (661) 799-5814.
