Sioux Falls Woman Accused of Faking Her Own Kidnapping

A 22-year-old woman from Sioux Falls, South Dakota has been arrested in connection to faking her own kidnapping in February 2021. She has been charged with attempted grand theft and a false report to the police.

The incident began around 10 p.m. at a Domino’s Pizza restaurant where the woman worked as a delivery driver. She called her husband saying she was surrounded by people, one of whom had a gun, and were demanding money. He immediately began receiving text messages demanding money in safe return for his wife according to Yahoo News.

Officers initially tried to track her phone ping to her last known delivery but could not find her there. While her husband was being interviewed by the police, he began receiving text messages from his wife’s phone and another number. The texts from the new phone number read: “I don’t have long I love you please help” as well as “I just want to come home” according to the Argus Leader.

During the search for the woman, they went to her last known delivery address, and she wasn’t there. The police eventually tracked her to a Culver’s in Brookings. The Brookings SWAT team found her in a car with another man.

On the morning of February 11, 2021, the woman was interviewed by police and admitted to never being kidnapped. The woman then admitted to simply “wanting a break from her husband” according to the Associated Press.

She was recharged in Minnehaha County on January 12th, and is set to be arraigned on January 26th according to court documents.