An alert of a Kidnapper on the loose in Laurens County was made yesterday morning after a 911 call received from the mother of a woman saying the daughter had been kidnapped and placed in the trunk of a car. The mother told Laurens County that the daughter had been in Newberry at her grandfather’s home in the Helena community. Newberry County and Laurens County began an intensive investigation. Later in the morning, a Laurens County Deputy located Ms. Turner in the trunk of her car on Tool Shed Road near the Laurens County Professional Park. Upon questioning, Turner stated that she had been kidnapped in Newberry County at her grandfather’s home by an unknown male and was driven around throughout the night. Laurens County initiated a manhunt for the man, using bloodhounds and a helicopter. Nearby facilities including the Laurens County Memorial Hospital were reportedly put on lockdown for several hours due to concern for a kidnapper on the loose.
The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office notes that Victoria Turner splits her time between her mother’s residence in Laurens County and her grandfather in Newberry County.
Laurens County Sheriff Ricky Chastain told WLBG that as they talked her story began to become more questionable. Yesterday afternoon Laurens County Deputies charged 23-year-old Victoria Queeyona Turner with Filing a False Police Report of a Felony, Breach of Peace Aggravated in Nature, Unlawful use of 911 and with Giving False Information to Law Enforcement, Fire or Rescue. Victoria Turner was booked with an address of 414 Brown Chapel Circle, Newberry.
Lt. Jawarski Shelton states that Victoria Q. Turner filed a false police report to the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office in reference to a Kidnapping and that she caused a lockdown of multiple business and schools with the threat of terror in the community. Turner is also accused of unlawful use of the 911 system for the purpose of making a false call for service and that she gave a false account of a kidnapping.
Victoria Turner was being held overnight in the Johnson Detention Center, pending a bond hearing today.
Newberry County was consulting with the Solicitor’s Office about possible charges there. Both Sheriff’s noted concern about the cost of yesterday’s investigation of a kidnapping that did not occur.