86°F
weather icon Cloudy

Police say teen faked own kidnapping to get $130 from his mom

SUMTER, S.C. — A sheriff’s office in South Carolina say a Sumter teen faked his own kidnapping and led his mother to believe he’d be killed if she didn’t pay $130.

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office tells news outlets that 19-year-old Emmanuel Franklin was arrested Sunday and charged with blackmail. Deputies say Franklin led his mother to believe he had been abducted this month and would be killed unless $130 was placed in a neighborhood mailbox. An incident report says the mailbox belonged to Franklin’s father.

Franklin’s mother told deputies she received a call from Franklin and an unknown man from a private number and the unknown man demanded the cash or Franklin would be hurt. Deputies say Franklin later told authorities he made up the story to get money from his mother.

MOST READ
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point taps his widow as its next leader

Turning Point USA, the organization Charlie Kirk founded, announced Thursday that Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, had been unanimously elected as its next leader and will serve as CEO and board chair.

3 police officers killed, 2 injured in rural Pennsylvania shooting

“We grieve for the loss of life of three precious souls who served this county, served this commonwealth, served this country,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said.

MORE STORIES