Influencer mum, Katie Sorensen, is facing prison time, with police alleging she falsely claimed a Latino couple had tried to kidnap her children. Photo / Instagram
Influencer mum, Katie Sorensen, is facing prison time, with police alleging she falsely claimed a Latino couple had tried to kidnap her children. Photo / Instagram
A US mum who claimed a couple tried to snatch her kids while shopping is facing six months in jail after the police investigation took a turn.
An influencer mum in the United States is facing prison time, with police alleging she falsely claimed a Latino couple had tried to kidnap her children.
California woman Katie Sorensen posted two videos to her Instagram account in December last year, claiming Sadie and Eddie Martinez had tried to take her children.
California woman Katie Sorensen posted two videos to her Instagram account in December last year, claiming Sadie and Eddie Martinez had tried to take her children. Photo / Instagram
"My children were the targets of attempted kidnap which is such a weird thing to even vocalise but it happened and I want to share that story with you," she said in footage that was viewed more than four million times.
Sorensen said she was "sharing the story" to "raise awareness of what signs to look for", claiming that she had been shopping at a local craft store when the incident occurred.
In a statement to police, Sorensen alleged the couple had followed her to her car and tried to grab her pram as she put her kids back in their car, The Sun reported.
But despite publicising the incident online, Sorensen said that she didn't want anyone arrested over what happened.
Martinez only learned that she and her husband, who have five children, had been accused by Sorensen when CCTV footage stills were circulated by police.
"My kid came to me and showed me the picture, and said, 'Mum this looks like you'," she told local newspaper Petaluma Argus-Courier last December.
After an investigation, Petaluma Police found that claims by Eddie and Sadie Martinez that they had been at the store simply to buy a decorative baby Jesus were true.
The police said while the couple had never been official suspects they "did have to investigate" Sorensen's claims.
The couple accused by Sorensen had no idea that anything had happened until one of their children saw their image in CCTV footage stills circulated by police. Photo / Instagram
"I couldn't believe it. It's like we're literally guilty of being brown while shopping," Martinez said.
Last Thursday, Petaluma Police confirmed they had charged Sorensen with two misdemeanour charges of giving false information to a police dispatcher and to a police officer. The influencer has since taken her Instagram account private.
She now faces a maximum of six months in jail if convicted and will be arraigned in court on May 13.
Martinez told the Petaluma Argus-Courier she was pleased Sorensen had been charged.
"We're very happy with the news," she said. "It's a nice step toward justice. It gives you hope."
