According to the New York State Police, four people have been arrested in connection with a fake kidnapping prank.
Police said they received a report on Jan. 7 around 1:00 p.m. that a vehicle was driving along I-87 Northway in Saratoga County with a passenger wearing a handwritten sign that said “help!! he’s been kidnapped!!” A vehicle matching the 911 caller’s description was located on the expressway in Malta, New York, and was stopped by police during a “significant law enforcement response” that caused the temporary closure of southbound I-87.
The 18-year-old driver and three passengers were taken out of the vehicle and detained. The investigation found that all four were aware of the sign displayed as a supposed “joke” and that no kidnapping had taken place.
Jasmine R. Barber, 20, of Champlain, N.Y., Emily R. Ferdinandi, 20, of Champlain, N.Y., and the two 18-year-olds involved were each charged with third-degree falsely reporting an incident. The names of the driver and the other 18-year-old have not been released; Barber and Ferdinandi were passengers.
They were arrested and taken to Saratoga State Police for processing. They were each given a ticket to appear in Malta Municipal Court on February 5 and released.
“The State Police want to emphasize that falsely reporting a kidnapping is not a prank or a mistake; it is a serious crime with real consequences,” NYS Police said he said. “When a false or false emergency report is made, emergency responders rush into action, diverting police, medical and emergency resources away from people who may actually need help. Families and communities experience fear and trauma, and in some cases, false reports can even endanger police officers and bystanders.”
Malta is located in Saratoga County, about 25 miles north of Albany and 150 miles south of Champlain.
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