Police authorities said a Houston dad admitted faking a story that his infant child was inside his car when it was stolen early Thursday morning in the hopes that cops would search for his vehicle quicker, according to Inside Edition.
Anthony Gray, 38, called 911 about 5 a.m. on Thursday, saying his Jeep Cherokee had been stolen from a gas station. According to the surveillance video obtained, Gray pulled over into a gas station at the 22500 block of Imperial Valley that morning, when a red Kia pulled right next to his Jeep. Gray said that men, possibly in their 20s, jumped out, got into his vehicle, and took off with it.
Gray claimed that his infant son was onboard, prompting authorities to take immediate action to search for the child and put out an alert to all local news stations and on social media.
However, after the news broke out across different local stations, a relative of Gray's called the cops and said the child was safe and sound with them. Law enforcement officers found the Jeep Cherokee about 7 a.m. in a house three miles from the gas station.
"It was a hoax," law enforcement sources say
Maj. Susan Cotter of Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) told a news outlet that Sgt. Ben Beall confirmed, around 10 a.m., that the baby, Noah Gray, was with his grandmother, who lives around a half mile from the gas station, the entire time and was never in the car with the father.
According to reports, Gray eventually admitted that he lied to them about his son being in the Jeep so they would do a faster and more vigorous search for his vehicle. Sheriff Ed Gonzales of the Harris County Sheriff's Office soon confirmed the news on Twitter.
"Update: The six-month-old baby has been located and is safe. An update will be provided shortly at the original location, 22523 Imperial Valley."
The authorities later added that "HCSO Investigators have determined the infant was never with him. The child was at a relative's house, and the male claims he falsified the kidnapping to get a better response to his stolen vehicle. Anthony Ray Gray (38) has been arrested and charged with Filing a False Report."
This was after news came out that the abandoned Jeep was found in the 16400 block of Eton Brook Lane, but the baby remained unaccounted for, Click2Houston reported.
A massive manhunt, including helicopters, conducted for the child
The father seemed anxious as the authorities took immediate action and conducted a massive search, including helicopters, to find the reportedly abducted child.
Gray was out on a bond Friday morning, but it remained unclear whether he had legal representation and if he had entered a plea, per ABC 13.
The neighbors who found and reported the stolen Jeep said they woke up and noticed a car parked, partially blocking their driveway.
