Woman, 19, is arrested for inventing a fake child to get police to search for her friend’s car
A 19-year-old Texas woman has been arrested after allegedly creating a fictional child to lure police into searching for her friend’s stolen car.
Stacey Dashay Marie Smith called police on Sunday to report her child was in a stolen car at 14000 Lasso Rock Drive.
El Paso Police PIO Adrian Cisneros confirmed to DailyMail.com that the car was an “actual theft,” but that no child was missing.
Smith was charged Sunday with providing a false police report.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Smith remained held in the El Paso County Detention Facility on a $5,000 bond.
Stacey Dashay Marie Smith was booked into the El Paso County Jail on a $5,000 bond
El Paso Police Department officers encountered the initial caller and Smith, and after an extensive search the vehicle was located, but the child was still missing.
El Paso police received a call from an unknown person around 12:30 p.m. Sunday about a car theft.
According to authorities, Smith called 911 again, saying her child was missing and that she believed the perpetrator had taken her friend’s car, including the child.
Officers spoke with the initial caller and Smith. After an extensive search, the vehicle was located, but the child was still missing.
The nonprofit Crimes Against Persons Detectives was called in to assist with the investigation.
The investigation revealed that the child did not exist and Smith devised a plan to allow police to quickly locate her friend’s car.