NEWBERRY COUNTY, S.C. – Newberry County officials want tens of thousands of dollars paid back after a woman was charged with a kidnapping hoax.
Victoria Queeyona Turner, 23, is facing charges in Newberry and Laurens Counties after she claimed to have been kidnapped by a man Tuesday morning. Investigators say they determined Turner’s claim was a hoax after four hours of searching.
“It is simply not fair for the taxpayers of Newberry County to have to pay for these resources for someone who blatantly abused the criminal justice system,” said Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster in a written statement. Foster says an exact dollar amount for resources used in the search hasn’t been determined, but he estimates it could easily go into tens of thousands of dollars.
Law officers from the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office, Laurens County Sheriffs’ Office, Clinton Police Department and SLED were involved in the search.
Turner was charged Wednesday night with filing a false police related to a felony after being returned to Newberry County. She was released Thursday morning on personal appearance bond.
She was charged earlier in Laurens County with improper use of 911, giving false information to a police officer, filing a false police report and breach of peace.
Turner called family on Tuesday morning from the trunk of her car, claiming a man had kidnapped her. Sheriff Foster said that the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office would seek restitution for the amount expended as part of any court case. Turner’s pastor attended the court hearing Wednesday morning in Laurens County and said the girl lost her grandmother exactly one week ago. The pastor called the alleged false kidnapping a crime that was to get attention.
The judge said – because of the support system that appeared in court for Turner – he set a lower bond amount.
