An aspiring California social media influencer has been convicted of making up a story about a Latino couple trying to kidnap her children in 2020.
Katie Sorensen, 31, posted a now-deleted video on December 13 that year, claiming, “My children were the target of an attempted kidnapping,” as CrimeOnline previously reported.
She recounted in detail about a couple she described as “unkempt” following her through an arts and crafts store in Petaluma before trying to grab her stroller as she headed to her car.
Petaluma Police investigated and cleared the accused couple, who had been identified as Sadie and Eddie Martinez. They said security footage showed the couple buying a nativity set for their Christmas decorations, although Sorensen said they bought nothing. Police said the footage and witness accounts “served to support the account provided by the couple from the store.”
Sorensen was found guilty on one count making a false report of a crime during an interview with a detective on December 14, the Press Democrat said. She was found not guilty on two other counts, relating to what she told a dispatcher and a police officer on December 7.
“This verdict will enable us to hold Ms. Sorensen accountable for her crime, while at the same time helping to exonerate the couple that was falsely accused of having attempted to kidnap two young children,” Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez said in a statement, according to NBC News.
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“The case is also important in that it illustrates the importance of using social media responsibly.”
“The jury reviewed the actual evidence and found it to be very different than how the case has been portrayed outside the courtroom,” Charles Dresow said. “We are disappointed as to count 3 and will evaluate our options moving forward.”
Sorensen faces up to six months in jail for the one conviction.
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[Featured image: Katie Sorensen/Instagram]
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