Glenn Heights teen arrested for lying about kidnapping

GLENN HEIGHTS, Texas - A 17-year-old Glenn Heights girl whose reported kidnapping triggered an Amber Alert has been arrested after police say she confessed it was all a hoax.

The Amber Alert was issued Saturday night after two of Keidra Kirby's friends told police she was taken by three masked men who were in a white van with dark windows.

Local law enforcement agencies, the Texas Rangers, the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children all searched for her throughout the night.

Kirby ended up calling her family Sunday morning and was found safe at an apartment complex in Dallas.

Police said they questioned the girl and her friends again in the days following the incident. The friends allegedly changed their story and police said Kirby confessed after being confronted about the conflicting stories.

Kirby admitted she was not kidnapped and that she willingly left with someone that she knew. She also admitted to police there was never a white van or masked suspects.

Kirby is now charged with making a false report to a peace officer, which is a Class B misdemeanor. She's being held at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center.

Sergeant Nick Bristow from neighboring Desoto says abusing the amber alert system is dangerous.

"All the North Texas police departments were on high alert trying to locate this white panel van with these three suspects that ultimately, we found later, did not exist and that's the shame of the whole thing" he said. "The most upsetting thing is that the abuse of this system ultimately makes the system itself less effective."

FOX4 spoke to the teen's mother. She was in tears and said she was sorry for what has happened.

The other juveniles involved are not expected to be charged. If convicted, Kirby faces up to six months in jail and as much as a $2,000 fine.