Police Say a Fake Kidnapping in Texas Resulted in an AMBER Alert

¡Ay, caramba! Where do I even begin with a story like this?

Earlier this week, an AMBER Alert was issued for two teen girls believed to have been kidnapped in Seagoville, TX just southeast of Dallas. It was later reported that the girls were found safe, but now authorities say the entire thing was a hoax.

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Texas Teens "Kidnapped" at a Flea Market

According to a report from KTVT-TV in Dallas, Devany Betancourt, 16, and Marina Nelson, 17, were reported missing Sunday, April 18.

KDFW-TV reports that they had been separated from a music teacher and family friend who'd taken them to a flea market, where the Tyler Morning Telegraph reports Betancourt performed a song.

After separating from the music instructor, the girls couldn't be reached on their phones after the flea market closed, and one of the girls later placed what was described as an "alarming phone call" to her mother.

The call led the girl's mother to believe the girls had been kidnapped and were being held against their will.

AMBER Alert Activated

Police were able to trace the call to a motel in Dallas, but when officers arrived the girls were nowhere to be found.

An AMBER Alert was issued, and the girls were believed to be in grave and immediate danger.

However...

Police Say the Kidnapping Was Staged

According to the Tyler Morning Telegraph, police reviewed surveillance footage from the hotel the call came from and noticed that the two girls were in the company of two young men and seemed perfectly fine. They'd reportedly also received tips stating that the kidnapping had been staged so the girls could spend time with the guys.

One Suspect Has Been Charged - Another is Underage

KTVT reports that the girls were found safe at a motel in Plano Monday night, and that 20-year-old Jose Penaloza-Estrada was arrested and charged with harboring a runaway child. According to the Telegraph, he could face more charges. Police say there's a second suspect who's a minor, and that person had not yet been arrested.

I Have Questions

At this point, police haven't made it clear if the fake kidnapping was masterminded by Penaloza-Estrada and the other suspect, the girls, or both. I'd love to know.

I also wonder why on earth anyone involved thought a fake kidnapping was the way to go. Are the girls' parents strict and won't let them see guys? Or were these the kind of guys no parent would want their daughter seeing? (Judging by this entire scenario, that could very well be the case.)

Either way, I really don't see what a fake kidnapping was supposed to accomplish. Was the idea to keep police tied up searching at one location while the kids partied at another location?

It's a total mess.

Ladies, trust me: there's not a guy in the world worth all of this.

Guys, don't creep on young girls and definitely don't think for a moment that a fake kidnapping is some sort of genius scheme. C'mon. That should go without saying.