A woman has been arrested after falsely reporting a kidnapping, leaving her son unattended along a major roadway and allowing him to run off in the night following a tantrum, police said.
The incident began on Nov. 5 when authorities from the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana responded to a report of a child who had allegedly been kidnapped at approximately 1 a.m. near the area of U.S. 190 and Industrial Road in Eunice, Louisiana, according to a statement from St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office.
MORE: Human remains found inside freezer of Michigan home“The mother, Artasia Quantaya Viges, reported that individuals in an older model truck had kidnapped her son as she was parked on the roadway attending to a deflated tire,” authorities said.
However, almost immediately after police arrived on scene, deputies learned that the boy was found by citizens in the area who discovered him unattended in the parking lot of Heinen Medical Clinic with abrasion injuries to his knees, police said.
MORE: Driver hurt after car plummets from edge of mall parking lot to the street below“The child stated to officers that his mother ‘ran him over’ and left him on the side of the road,” authorities said. The child was transported to the nearby hospital for treatment. With this vast disparity in statements, the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Detectives were called in to investigate.”
“A subsequent interview with Artasia Viges revealed the awful truth; there was no kidnapping and a young child was left unattended along a major roadway and allowed to run off in the night,” police said. What started as a disagreement between a mother and a child became a bizarre reaction to the child having a tantrum.”
MORE: Man randomly stabs teenage girl in Dollar Tree as she stood with her mother: Police MORE: Bank manager sentenced for using position to steal over $200,000 directly from customerPolice said that when Viges pulled the car over, the child -- “obviously not properly restrained” -- bailed out of the car before it came to a stop, which resulted in injuries to the child’s knees.
“The mother chose to leave the child out of the car, allowing him to run off in the dark, along major roadways,” police continued. “The mother admitted to detectives that she did not attempt to go after him and ultimately lost sight of him.
MORE: Murder suspect arrested last second at airport departure gates in attempt to flee to El SalvadorViges was subsequently arrested and the investigation into the incident is currently ongoing.