A social media influencer's viral Instagram video and false police report that blamed a Latino couple for trying to kidnap her children has landed her in jail.
Kathleen Sorenson, 31, was convicted by a jury in Sonoma County, California, for knowingly making a false report of attempted kidnap.
Back in December 2020, Sorenson told police that a Petaluma couple tried to abduct her two kids from the parking lot of Michael's craft store, and then "went into great detail" about the supposed abduction in an Instagram video that she didn't tell police.
She also talked about the fake abduction case on local news outlets and pointed at a couple seen on the store's security cameras as the "kidnappers."
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"This verdict will enable us to hold Ms. Sorensen accountable for her crime, while at the same time helping to exonerate the couple that was falsely accused of having attempted to kidnap two young children," Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez said in a statement.
"The case is also important in that it illustrates the importance of using social media responsibly."
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On Thursday, a jury convicted of her on the misdemeanor charge after deliberating for a day, but cleared her of two other counts of filing a false police report.
She was taken back to jail, and bail was set at $100,000.
A sentencing date hasn't been scheduled yet, but she faces a maximum of six months in jail.
Sadie Vega-Martinez, whom Sorenson falsely accused along with her husband, Eddie, told Elle magazine that she was "happy" with the verdict "after [Sorenson] avoided accountability for years."
"Then hearing she was found guilty and walked out in handcuffs … yes, justice was served," she told the outlet. "I feel like it's a step in the right direction for my family. I'm grateful for the support."
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Sorenson's Instagram account has since been deleted, but the December 2020 recording was saved on other social media platforms.
Sorenson billed herself as a "mom influencer" with a modest following while also posting videos about conspiracy theories concocted by QAnon followers, according to CBS News.
The made-up kidnapping story boosted her social media fame, and she gained tens of thousands of new followers after the video went viral.
Her lawyer, Charles Dresow, told The Press-Democrat, "The verdict of not guilty as to counts one and two rejects the theory that my client lied to the police on Dec. 7," Dresow told the local newspaper. "The jury reviewed the actual evidence and found it to be very different than how the case has been portrayed outside the courtroom. We are disappointed as to count three and will evaluate our options moving forward."
