Calay News
A US influencer has been sentenced to prison for fabricating false accusations of the attempted kidnapping of her children by a couple at a local craft store, authorities in Sonoma County, California, reported.
The incident occurred on Dec. 7, 2020, when Kathleen Sorensen, 30, a mother of two, went to the store with her young children. After doing some shopping, she returned to her car with the children and shortly thereafter called the Police to report that a couple had attempted to abduct her children.
A week later, Sorensen posted a video on social networks where she recounted the alleged kidnapping attempt, including details she had not disclosed to the authorities, such as the claim that the man had tried to snatch her stroller. She also appeared on a local news program to share her story and promote her social media account.
However, after an investigation, authorities determined that the report of an attempted kidnapping was false. On April 27, a jury found Sorensen guilty on one of the three counts charged. The influencer was arrested and held on $100,000 bail.
Prosecutor Carla Rodriguez noted that Sorensen has been held accountable for her crime and expressed hope that this move will help free the falsely accused couple. The influencer was sentenced to 90 days in prison, of which 60 could be served under a program that would allow her to leave the penitentiary to work. In addition, she was placed on 12 months of informal probation, during which time she is prohibited from using social media and will face fines and other charges.The wrongfully accused couple, Sadie Martinez and Eddie Martinez, of Nicaraguan descent, recounted in an interview with Elle magazine the details of the incident and questioned how a simple trip to a store to buy Christmas ornaments turned into a nightmare. Sadie, a mother of five, raised the possibility that she and her partner were targeted because of their skin color.
