An update on the teen from Kansas that called 911 to say that she was kidnapped.

Official statement about the Kelsey Stelting case

The Independence Police Department and the FBI released the following statement at 1:30 p.m. today:

Independence police and FBI agents interviewed Kelsey Stelting this morning. During this interview Kelsey told investigators that the abduction she had previously reported to police did not happen. She said that all of the original statements she made regarding the abduction were false and that she acted alone. Kelsey said she spent the most of the 16 hours she was missing alone in an area southwest of town.

The Independence Police, the FBI and KBI all contributed significant resources to the investigative effort. The FBI brought 30 agents and 10 support people from Kansas City, Topeka and Wichita to Independence which included personnel and resources from the FBI's Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory, the Evidence Response Team and an expert in profiling and behavioral science. Kevin L. Stafford, Special Agent in Charge of the Kansas City FBI said, "I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Independence Police, the KBI and the Stelting family who contributed to the swift resolution of the case."

The police and the FBI wish to thank the entire community for their assistance in attempting to locate Kelsey.

So, she made the story up..

NO WAY!!!!! She really wasn’t kidnapped?! The family made a statement…

"This has been an unfortunate turn of events that has had an effect on the entire community. The family wishes to thank the community, the Independence Police Department, the KBI, and the FBI for the outpouring of love and concern for them. Kelsey wants everybody to know that she didn't do this for attention. Teens today are under a great deal of pressure. We have to keep in mind that kids react and reach out in many ways.

"We are so thankful that Kelsey did not choose another path or other means of dealing with her pressure. As Kelsey's family stated early on, she is a bright and talented overachiever. Parents need to remember it's difficult for our kids to maintain that expectation of perfection.

...

"You know that this Sunday is Easter -- a time of grace and compassion and forgiveness. We've all made mistakes; Kelsey just happened to make hers under the glare of the spotlight."

They say it’s a time of grace and compassion and forgiveness. How is it Easter is associated with these things? Ok, maybe if you stretch things. What about accountability? Where is the money spent on the resources mustered to look into the ‘case’? This is a great message to send to the country, that a person can do shit like this and waste all kinds of taxpayer time and money, and be treated with ‘compassion’. How about showing some compassion by teaching the girl that money doesn’t grow on trees, and in the real world there are consequences for one’s actions? To me that's compassion, becuase then she won't be going into the world with unrealistic expectations.