In a shocking turn of events, a white California “mom influencer” named Katie Sorensen was found guilty of fabricating a story about a Latino couple attempting to kidnap her children. Here’s the full story.
The Event
The incident unfolded in December 2020 when Sorensen took to social media to share her alarming tale, accusing the couple of targeting her kids in the parking lot of a Michaels craft store in Petaluma, north of San Francisco.
She Was Found Guilty
However, earlier this year, Sorensen was found guilty of fabricating the story, and on Thursday, Judge Laura Passaglia handed down the sentence.
The Sentence
Sorensen will serve 90 days in jail, with the possibility of 60 days in a work-release program.
She was immediately taken into custody following the sentencing.
The Court Ruling Was Fair
Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez expressed her belief that the sentence provided a fair measure of accountability and hoped that it would bring closure to the wrongly accused couple.
The accusations made by Sorensen had serious implications for the couple she targeted.
The Accused Couple Were Cleared
Authorities cleared the couple of any wrongdoing after Sorensen’s claims were resoundingly contradicted by both the accused couple themselves and video evidence obtained from the store.
This Could’ve Ruined Lives
The false allegations not only had the potential to ruin the couple’s lives but also fueled racial tensions due to the racial backgrounds involved.
It Was a Racist Attack
The couple, in an interview with the Petaluma Argus-Courier, suggested that Sorensen’s actions were racially motivated.
The Video
In the social media video that sparked the controversy, Sorensen detailed her encounter with the couple, claiming they had followed her into the store and made comments about her children’s appearance.
She described feeling uneasy and portrayed them as “not clean-cut individuals.”
She Accused Them of Following Her
Sorensen alleged that the couple continued to follow her to her car and lingered near the stroller while she placed her children inside.
According to her account, they only left when she yelled for help.
The Couple Denied All Allegations
The couple vehemently denied Sorensen’s allegations, stating that they had simply been at Michaels to purchase Christmas decorations.
The Incident Had a Deep Effect
The fabricated claims deeply affected their lives and cast them under a shadow of suspicion.
She Was Arrested but Not Found Guilty
Following her arrest in 2021, Sorensen faced three misdemeanor charges of making a false report of a crime.
While she was found not guilty on two of the counts, she has now been held accountable for her actions.
She Was Also Placed on Probation
In addition to serving time in jail, Sorensen has been placed on informal probation for one year.
During this period, she is prohibited from having a social media presence, must undergo a four-hour implicit bias training, and is subject to warrantless search and seizure.
She Was Completely Paranoid
Several social media users shared their thoughts on the incident.
One Twitter user wrote, “Should be more, surprised it’s not less, flabbergasted she’s actually getting any jail time at all.”
Another user added, “TikTok is full of paranoid white women making claims like this. It’s going to get someone killed.”
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The post This Racist “Mom Influencer” Falsely Accused a Latin Couple of Being Child Snatchers! first appeared on Career Step Up.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: NBCNews
