Teen’s Story of Abduction False, Police Say

A teenage girl who gave police a highly detailed description of a man she said kidnapped her at knifepoint this week apparently made the story up, officials said Thursday.

The 17-year-old said she was walking through a greenbelt near Slater Avenue and Los Jardines West about 6 p.m. Wednesday when the man approached her from behind and put a knife to her throat. The girl told police he forced her into his pickup, tied her hands, stole $3 from her backpack, fondled her and drove to Huntington Beach, where he let her go.

The girl called her mother, who immediately took her to the police station.

After working the case for 24 hours, detectives said Thursday it was “unfounded.” They didn’t say why the girl made up the story.

“We were unable to substantiate the totality of the circumstances,” Fountain Valley Police Sgt. Jim Perry said. “She probably just got in over her head.”

Police have not decided whether to pursue charges against the girl for making a false report.

When describing the incident to police, the girl provided details that included a cut on the man’s right earlobe, a yellow air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror and white paint on his torn jeans.

“What an imagination,” said Patsy Vaughn, who lives on El Morro Circle, where the alleged abduction occurred. “I mean, I hope they punish this girl for what she’s done to our neighborhood.”

Vaughn and other residents of the Green Valley Park neighborhood said they panicked when police showed up with fliers announcing the crime. Word spread quickly among the homeowners, who kept in constant contact with detectives.

“There are families here whose children run back and forth between houses and look out for each other at all times,” resident Karen Suguitan said. “This girl really gave us a scare.”