The text was the worst nightmare of all parents: a 17 -year -old said that he had been removed, shot down and injured by a group of men on a road in Florida.
The police rushed to the scene. An alert on the scale of the state has come out to locate the boy. After being known that the teenager said that his kidnappers were “Hispanic”, a wave of indignation followed online.
But none of this was true, now say the authorities.
In a text to his mother last week, the adolescent – identified as Caden Speight – said that he had been killed and removed by four Latinos men on Highway 484 in Dunnellon in the county of Marion, in Florida.
The complaint prompted the authorities to issue an Amber alert on a state scale and sparked a fury against Latinos on social networks.
“It’s time to act, more words,” said a user on X, marking President Trump. “Discuss the dogs of hell.”
Another shared a drawing of a family of stick figures – the males dressed in sombreos – with legend, “large or small, will deport them all”.
On September 25, the deputies of the Marion County Sheriff office arrived near Highway 484 and found the Caden vehicle, but the teenager was nowhere and that his mobile phone was thrown, according to a press release from the agency.
The report sparked a more in -depth investigation.
Caden was finally found in Williston, Florida, said the authorities, and his abduction story collapsed under a more in -depth examination.
The sheriff of the county of Marion, Billy Woods, said on Monday in a video press release that the detectives had collected evidence showing “the initial details that Caden had sent an SMS to his family proved to be false – completely composed”.
“We found proofs in a shot where Caden left his truck,” said Woods. “However, his claims that he had been shot and removed was quickly refuted. We then learned that he had bought a bicycle, a tent and camping supplies just before reporting it. ”
Caden bought a red and gray tent from a Walmart in Ocala, Florida, before reporting that it had been shot down and removed, Woods said.
“Caden simply moved to Williston while the rest of us was left to think of the worst and my team worked in Overdrive to resolve this case,” Woods said.
The teenager had a handgun with him and got into the leg before he was found, the authorities said.
Woods allegedly alleged that Caden did this to “continue the cunning”, adding that the authorities believe: “There is no chance that Caden’s ball wound came from any type of aggressor”.
Woods said it was not “out of the table” that the teenager could face criminal charges. The investigation is underway and the detectives have questions for Caden, he added, but his parents did not authorize the investigators to speak to him.
Updating the police has sparked a new wave of comments on social media, ranging from convictions to calls for patience and unity.
“The fact that he tried to make about four Hispanic men removing and not cared of that which could have harmed innocent men that [were] Doing nothing in itself is despicable, ”wrote a Facebook user.
“I think we just need to be united and a real community and not acting crazy and jumping to conclusions,” said another. “Many people invent things. All we have to do is prayed. “
