El Paso woman charged with making up child to get police to find her friend’s car faster

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso Police arrested 19-year-old Stacie Dashay Marie Smith for allegedly making a false report.

A police spokesperson said that on June 30, 2024, Smith allegedly called 911 to report a car theft.

"Smith placed a second call to 911, stating that her child was missing and that she believed the subject who took her friend's vehicle had taken the child," the spokesperson stated Monday. "Officers at the scene met with the reporter and Smith, and after an extensive search, officers located the vehicle. However, the child was still missing."

That is when police called in their Crimes Against Persons detectives, who discovered the child did not exist.

"Smith had provided a fictitious name of a child to have police locate her friend's vehicle quickly," the spokesperson added.

Officers booked Smith into jail on a $5,000 bond.