A woman in Franklin, North Carolina, was taken into custody after police say she tricked people into believing she had been murdered.
The suspect is identified as 37-year-old Margaret Frances Elizabeth Sweeney, who also uses the name Maggie, NBC News reported Wednesday.
In a social media post Monday, the Franklin Police Department announced Sweeney’s arrest for causing a false report to a police station, falsely reporting death or serious injury by telephonic communication, and obstructing law enforcement officers.
Margaret Frances "Maggie" Elizabeth Sweeney, age 37 of Franklin, was arrested on Monday August 21, 2023 by the Franklin…
Posted by Franklin Police Department on Monday, August 21, 2023
The agency continued:
Sweeney was reported missing on Friday August 18, 2023, at which time FPD Officers began an immediate investigation due to the information provided which alluded that Sweeney was endangered or deceased. Sweeney was located safe the next day on Saturday August 19, 2023. 1SGT Randy Dula, continued the investigation, and was able to determine that Sweeney allegedly made anonymous third-party false reports to a friend, and the Department of Social Services that she had been murdered.
Sweeney allegedly used an app to conceal her identity while messaging the friend and the social services official, the NBC article noted, adding the woman claimed someone beat her to death with a tire iron.
Law enforcement condemned her alleged actions, saying it caused the department and others “many hours of work” while officials could have been focusing on other duties.
“Family, friends, and the community as a whole were also very concerned and worried about Sweeney’s welfare,” the agency said.
According to Franklin Police Chief Devin Holland, the woman was released on a written promise to return to court on September 7, adding the woman does not have a “consistent place of residence.”
Social media users praised officers for their work in the case, one person writing, “Great job guys! That is the ONLY way to curb that nonsense.”
“Nice work and hopefully she gets the help she needs,” another commented.
A young Alabama woman named Carlee Russell recently admitted she lied about being abducted, according to her lawyer, Breitbart News reported.
In May, a 23-year-old woman in Pennsylvania was accused of faking her own abduction to hide the fact she dropped out of college.
At the time, State Police Trooper Steve Limani said, “The decisions that were made I think are pretty rotten. And those decisions are also against the law.”
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