A 23-year-old woman from western Pennsylvania, initially reported as missing, has been found to have staged her own abduction. Chloe Stein now faces several charges, including causing a false alarm to the agency of public safety.
The urgent search for Stein was prompted by her reported disappearance on Monday night. The search cost state authorities tens of thousands of dollars, as stated by State Police Trooper Steve Limani on Wednesday. The last known contact with Stein was a text message she sent to her boyfriend on Monday night, claiming she was being pulled over by law enforcement.
However, less than 24 hours later, police acted on an anonymous tip. They discovered Stein safe and sound at a residence in Jeannette. Court documents acquired by WTAE reveal that Stein initially told investigators she had been kidnapped at gunpoint by a masked man, who later released her near her home. She eventually confessed to fabricating the entire story.
During the investigation, Stein claimed that she was expected to graduate from Penn State University over the weekend. However, upon further inquiry, police learned that she had not been enrolled at the university for over a year.
As authorities continue to investigate, they seek to uncover the reasons behind her actions and ensure justice is served for the costly and unnecessary search that was prompted by her deception.