A 12-year-old girl in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina staged a fake kidnapping in an attempt to demand ransom from her parents, police said, adding that the truth was uncovered within hours.
The incident took place in the city of Itaiópolis, where the girl reportedly left her home around 1 a.m. and later sent messages to her family claiming she had been abducted. In the messages, she alleged that the kidnappers were threatening her life and subjecting her to violence.
Alarmed by the situation, her parents immediately contacted the police, prompting the Criminal Investigation Division in Mafra to launch an urgent search operation.
Ransom demand raised suspicion
Around 11 a.m., the girl contacted her family again, this time demanding money for her release and warning that she would be killed if the ransom was not paid. The messages intensified concerns and accelerated the investigation.
However, police tracked her location and recovered her safely a few hours later from a rural house on the outskirts of Itaiópolis. No kidnappers were found at the scene, and officials confirmed she was not in any danger.
Confession during investigation
During questioning, the 12-year-old admitted that she had fabricated the entire kidnapping story in an attempt to obtain money from her parents.
Authorities said no actual abduction took place, and the case is now being reviewed from legal and social perspectives.
Also Read :Karachi court directs submission of final challan in drug case against Anmol alias Pinki
Today's E-Paper