Girl Writes Fake Kidnapping Note

Could still avoid juvenile court

A little girl is in big trouble after writing a fake plea for help at a Northwest suburban bank.

The 11-year-old girl from Harvard, who won't be named because of her age, wrote a note on a money order slip on August 11 while at the McHenry Savings Bank in Richmond, said authorities.

A customer later found the note, which said the girl had been kidnapped and missing since 2009. It also asked that police be notified.

A day later, after hours of investigation, the girl was found living safely with her biological father.

Although she was initially taken into custody and charged with aggravated disorderly conduct, police decided to be lenient due to her age. Instead of appearing in juvenile court, the young girl will have to write a letter of apology and faces other restrictions at home for six months.

"She felt bad about giving everybody the scare that she did, and the resources that were used to look for her," Richmond police Detective Pamela Hewett told the Daily Herald. "She regrets what she did."

Matt Bartosik is a Chicago native and a social media sovereign.

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